Preterm birth, low birth weight, and their co-occurrence among women with preexisting chronic diseases prior to conception: a cross-sectional analysis of postpartum women in a low-resource setting in Ghana.

We observed significant rates of PTB, LBW, and the co-occurrence of PTB and LBW among women who were already aware that they had preexisting chronic conditions prior to conception. Our findings highlight a potential gap in the quality of prenatal care provided to these women before delivery. Preconception care may offer an opportunity to address preexisting chronic conditions in women before pregnancy and potentially improve maternal and newborn health outcomes.