Around one in five women present with the common mental disorders (CMDs) of anxiety and depression in the UK, with younger aged women particularly at risk. 1 There is evidence that individuals with mental disorders have high rates of physical comorbidities such as obesity and Type 2 diabetes, which contribute to premature mortality and health inequalities throughout life. 2 Associations between mental and physical health have been found to be more common in women. [3][4][5] However, most studies do not disaggregate findings by gender or age, therefore the physical-mental health interface in women of reproductive age remains poorly understood.It is increasingly recognised that women's health around the time of conception is a key determinant of pregnancy outcome and impacts the health of the next generation. Indeed the preconception period represents an opportunity to intervene to optimise the health of women and their children, 6 although the impact of physical and mental multimorbidity prior to pregnancy on maternal and child outcomes is not well documented. 7 Relatively few studies report obstetric and neonatal outcomes for women with mental disorders

Introduction The physical and mental health of women prior to conception can have a significant impact on pregnancy and child outcomes. Given the rising burden of non-communicable diseases, the aim of this analysis was to explore the relationship between mental health, physical health and health behaviour in women planning a pregnancy. Objectives To investigate the association between indices of physical and mental health in a large population of women in the UK planning a pregnancy. Methods Responses to a preconception health digital education tool provided data on the physical and mental health and health behaviour of 131,182 women planning pregnancy. Logistic regression was used to explore associations between mental health and physical health variables. Multiple imputation by chained equations was implemented to handle missing data. Results There was evidence for an association between physical and mental health conditions (OR 2.22; 95% CI 2.14, 2.3). There was also an association between having a mental disorder and physical inactivity (OR 1.14; 95% CI 1.11, 1.18), substance misuse (OR 2.4; 95% CI 2.25, 2.55) and less folic acid use (OR 0.89; 95% CI 0.86,0.92). Conclusions There is a need for greater integration of physical and mental healthcare for women in the preconception period, which could support women, including those who wish to conceive, to optimise their health during this time. Disclosure No significant relationships.