Study links gum disease to premature births

LONDON (Reuters) -- New research from the United States showed on Monday that gum disease can cause premature births.

The preliminary results of a five-year study into gum disease and pregnancy, by Professor Steven Offenbacker of the University of North Carolina, found that women with the problem have a higher rate of having premature babies than other women.

"The results of the trial indicate that the effect of gum disease in pregnancy seems to be as harmful as other well established risk factors such as smoking," Offenbacker said in a statement.

"The next step of the research will be to examine whether providing dental treatment to pregnant mothers suffering from gum disease results in a decrease in premature births," he added.

Offenbacker, who presented the results to the three-day Problem with Prematurity Conference in London, tested 357 women aged between 15 to 45 for gum disease early in their pregnancy and three days after the birth.

Women with the disease had a higher rate of going into labor at less than 37 weeks than the women without the problem. A normal pregnancy lasts 40 weeks. They also had more low birth-weight babies and a higher risk of pre-eclampsia, a potentially fatal condition for both the mother and child.

"This study indicates just how important it is for a mother to take care of herself during her pregnancy and attend regular dental checks as well as her antenatal appointments," said Professor Lucilla Poston, a professor of fetal health at Tommy's Campaign, a British charity aimed at preventing problem pregnancies.

Premature and low birth weight babies have a higher risk of suffering medical and developmental problems than other infants.

Copyright 2000 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Tommy's Campaign - Premature birth, miscarriage and stillbirth
ADA Dental Newsline: Pregnancy and Oral Health
AAP - American Academy of Periodontology
AAP - Gum disease and pregnancy problems

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