Many Women Do Not Visit Their Dentist When Pregnant.

2001 AUG 23 - (NewsRx Network) -- Most pregnant women do not visit a dentist, even if they have dental problems.

This and related findings led researchers to recommend that a coordinated effort between the dental and obstetric communities is needed to establish guidelines for the oral care of pregnant women.

Researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, and the Health Resources Service Administration in Washington, DC, examined data from 25 geographical areas obtained through the 1997-98 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), a questionnaire survey of women who recently gave birth. The findings were reported in a study published in the July 2001 issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association.

Of the 25 areas, four states - Arkansas, Illinois, Louisiana, and New Mexico - included oral health questions on the PRAM survey, resulting in a study sample size of 9,040 women. According to the study, fewer than 35% of pregnant women in these states sought dental care. Three states, New Mexico, Illinois, and Louisiana, asked pregnant women if they needed to see a dentist for a problem during pregnancy. Researchers found only about half of the women who reported dental problems during pregnancy sought dental care.

"Because most adults would be due for a routine dental visit during any nine-month period and because the need for periodontal care actually may increase during pregnancy, our findings raise serious concerns about dental care-seeking behaviors ...