DENTAL HEALTH OF PREGNANT WOMEN: 2. DENTAL AND PERIODONTAL HEALTH IN AN ANTENATAL CLINIC POPULATION

1971 ◽  
Vol 2 (22) ◽  
pp. 1117-1120 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. J. Chapman ◽  
A. M. McDonald ◽  
B. J. Stoddaet ◽  
E. V. Mackay
2020 ◽  
pp. 12-16
Author(s):  
S. M. I. S. K. Samarathunga ◽  
K. G. C. K. Gamage ◽  
S. R. Welahetti ◽  
H. K. K. Lakmali ◽  
I. D. T Hemali ◽  
...  

Dental health is an important aspect of health. Further, teeth related dilemmas are common in pregnancy and thus have influences on the growing fetus. The study was conducted to assess awareness and practices regarding dental health among pregnant women, who attended the antenatal clinic at Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital, Sri Lanka in 2018. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with the participation of randomly selected 150 pregnant women who attended antenatal clinic, by using pre-tested interviewer administered questionnaire. Knowledge and practices scores were developed based on the maximum and minimum marks allocated for each section. Pearson Chi-square test was performed to determine the associations. Of the participants, 70% (n=105) were aware regarding the fact that hormonal imbalances during pregnancy may affect their dental health. However, only 21.3% (n=32) had awareness regarding the fact that frequent vomiting during pregnancy period is a risk factor for dental erosion. Further, 56.7% (n=85) of the participants were knowledgeable regarding the influence of mother's dental health on their growing fetus. Most frequent source of knowledge regarding the importance of dental health during pregnancy was the family doctor (40%, n=60) in participants, 54% (n=81) had good knowledge regarding dental health during pregnancy. Regarding overall level of dental care practices, only 33.3% (n=50) had good dental care practices. Age (p=0.02), level of education (p=0.01) and monthly income (p=0.01) showed a significant association with dental care knowledge while, the level of education (p=0.01) showed significant association with dental care practices among participants. Although more than half of the participants had good knowledge regarding dental health, less than one fourth of individuals were following proper dental practices. This study emphasizes the importance of conducting health education programmes to reduce the knowledge practice gap and to highlight the importance of dental care practices during pregnancy for better health outcome towards mother and baby. Keywords: Awareness, Practice, Dental health, Pregnant women, Patriarchy


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Saran Tenzin Tamang ◽  
Thinley Dorji ◽  
Sonam Yoezer ◽  
Thinley Phuntsho ◽  
Phurb Dorji

Abstract Background The third Sustainable Development Goal for 2030 development agenda aims to reduce maternal and newborn deaths. Pregnant women’s understanding of danger signs is an important factor in seeking timely care during emergencies. We assessed knowledge of obstetric danger signs using both recall and understanding of appropriate action required during obstetric emergencies. Methods This was a cross-sectional study among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at Bhutan’s largest hospital in Thimphu. Recall was assessed against seven obstetric danger signs outlined in the Mother and Child Health Handbook (7 points). Understanding of danger signs was tested using 13 multiple choice questions (13 points). Knowledge was scored out of 20 points and reported as ‘good’ (≥80%), ‘satisfactory’ (60–79%) and ‘poor’ (< 60%). Correlation between participant characteristics and knowledge score as well as number of danger signs recalled was tested using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Association between knowledge score and participant characteristics was tested using t-tests (and Kruskal-Wallis test) for numeric variables. Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics associated with the level of knowledge ('good’ versus ‘satisfactory’ and ‘poor’ combined) were assessed with odds ratios using a log-binomial regression model. All results with p < 0.05 were considered significant. Results Four hundred and twenty-two women responded to the survey (response rate = 96.0%). Mean (±SD) knowledge score was 12 (±2.5). Twenty women (4.7%) had ‘good’ knowledge, 245 (58.1%) had ‘satisfactory’ knowledge and 157 (37.2%) had ‘poor’ knowledge. The median number of danger signs recalled was 2 (IQR 1, 3) while 68 women (20.3%) could not recall any danger signs. Most women were knowledgeable about pre-labour rupture of membranes (96.0%) while very few women were knowledgeable about spotting during pregnancy (19.9%). Both knowledge score and number of danger signs recalled had significant correlation with the period of gestation. Women with previous surgery on the reproductive tract had higher odds of having ‘good’ level of knowledge. Conclusions Most pregnant women had ‘satisfactory’ knowledge score with poor explicit recall of danger signs. However, women recognized obstetric emergencies and identified the appropriate action warranted.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. S. Houmsou ◽  
B. E. Wama ◽  
S. O. Elkanah ◽  
L. C. Garba ◽  
T. D. Hile ◽  
...  

Malaria still remains a challenging infection affecting the lives of several HIV infected pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa. This study was undertaken to determine malarial infection in HIV infected pregnant women in relation to sociodemographic and obstetrical factors. The study also assessed relationship between malarial infection and haemoglobin level, CD4+ counts, and ART regimen, as well as predisposing risk factors that influenced occurrence of malarial infection in the women. Thick and thin blood smears were prepared and stained with Giemsa. Haemoglobin level was determined using a hematology analyzer, while the flow cytometry was used to measure CD4+ counts. Sociodemographic and obstetrical parameters were obtained through the administration of questionnaires. Of the 159 HIV infected pregnant women examined, 33.3% (59/159) had malarial infection. Malarial infection was significantly higher in pregnant women who were divorced, 40.24% (33/82) (χ2=5.72; P=0.05), were at their first trimester (4–12 weeks), 54.8% (17/31) (χ2=14.85; P=0.01), had CD4+ = [201–500 cells/μL], 42.42% (42/99) (χ2=10.13; P=0.00), and those that had severe anaemia (<8 dg/L), 100.00% (χ2= 45.75; P=0.00). However, risk factors that influenced the occurrence of malarial infection in the pregnant women were occupation (farming) (AOR=0.226; P=0.03), marital status (divorced) (AOR=2.80; P=0.02), gestation (first trimester) (AOR=0.33; P=0.00), haemoglobin level (Hb < 8 dg/L) (AOR=0.02; P=0.00), and CD4+ counts (low CD4+) (OR=0.40; P=0.05). The study reported endemicity of malaria in HIV infected pregnant women living in rural areas of Benue State, Nigeria. Malarial infection was higher in women that were divorced, and at their first trimester, had low CD4+ count, and had severe anaemia. Farming, divorce, gestation, severe anaemia, and low CD4+ counts were predisposing risk factors that influenced malaria occurrence in the HIV infected pregnant women. It is advocated that HIV infected pregnant women should be properly and thoroughly educated on malaria preventive measures in rural areas so as to avoid unpleasant effect of malaria during their pregnancies.


1988 ◽  
Vol 67 (8) ◽  
pp. 1062-1069 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Jonsson ◽  
B.E. Howland ◽  
G.H.W. Bowden

Relationships between four steroids, determined by radio-immunoassay of whole saliva, and clinical and bacteriological parameters were studied in 90 subjects: males, menstruating females, and pregnant females. Pocket depths and both plaque and gingival bleeding scores were recorded. Total counts and percentages of Gram-negative organisms Bacteroides and B. intermedius were determined from anaerobic cultures of subgingival plaque from 9-14 subjects in each group. None of the clinical parameters for the pregnant females differed significantly from those of non-pregnant females, nor did these parameters show any significant correlation with progression of pregnancy. No correlations were detected between bacterial and clinical parameters in the pregnant group. There were no statistically significant differences between the total bacterial counts from the three groups, yet males had significantly higher proportions of Gram-negative bacteria, Bacteroides, and B. intermedius, than did pregnant and non-pregnant females. Proportions of B. intermedius did not differ significantly between the two female groups, nor was there any correlation with progression of pregnancy. While some steroids appeared to affect some clinical or bacteriological parameters in some groups, no obvious patterns consistent with different steroid levels were detected. The results do not indicate that increased hormone levels cause more severe periodontal disease in pregnant women, nor that high salivary steroid levels result in increased recovery of B. intermedius from subgingival plaque.


2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saritha Shamsunder ◽  
Akriti Gautam ◽  
Geetika Khanna ◽  
Sunita Malik

Background: Pregnancy provides a good time for opportunistic screening of our women who rarely attend for cervical screening. The prevalence of abnormal PAP smear in pregnant women in developed countries was 5-6%, however, no literature was available from India. Aim: To determine the prevalence of abnormal PAP smears in antenatal women presenting to our antenatal clinic. Methods: Women attending the antenatal clinic with gestation of <28 weeks were recruited after an informed consent and had a PAP smear by Ayre spatula and cytobrush or a broom type of cytobrush. The comfort level during smear taking & any problems noted were recorded using a pain score. The smears were stained using the PAP stain, were categorized as adequate or inadequate & classified as per Bethesda classification. Results: We had 150 women participating, the mean age was 24.2 yrs, the mean period of gestation was 17 weeks; 43.9% were nulliparous. Smear adequacy rate was 71.5% overall. Pain during procedure was reported in 2.9% of women, 18.3% had minor discomfort; 78.6% were comfortable. Minor bleeding during smear taking was noted in 15%; this was more with the cytobrush & broom than the Ayre spatula alone. Abnormal smears were seen in three women; two had AGC & one had LSIL. Conclusions: Opportunistic cervical screening during pregnancy is safe and well tolerated. Abnormal Cervical smears were seen in 2% of our pregnant women.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joyce Nankumbi ◽  
Tom Dennis Ngabirano ◽  
Gorrette Nalwadda

Maternalnutrition during pregnancy affects the health of the mother and baby. The objective of this paper is to describe the maternal nutrition education offered by midwives to women attending an antenatal clinic. The study also examined the resources, support, and the needs of the midwives in offering the nutrition education. Six in-depth interviews with the midwives, six direct structured observations of the group education, and 12 one-on-one interactions of midwife and pregnant women observations were completed. The interviews and field observation notes were typed and analyzed using the latent content analysis. The emerging themes were the maternal nutrition education and the education needs of the midwives. The content and presentation of maternal nutrition were inadequate in scope and depth. The maternal nutrition education was offered to only pregnant women attending the first antenatal care visit. The routine antenatal education session lasted 45 minutes to 1 hour, covering a variety of topics, but the nutritional component was allotted minimal time (5–15 minutes). The organization, mode of delivery, guidelines, resources, and service environment were extremely deficient. The relevance of appropriate weight gain during pregnancy, guidelines for healthy habits, avoidance of substance abuse, and nutrition precautions in special circumstances was missing in the nutrition presentation. Information, maternal nutrition education resources, infrastructure, and health system gaps were identified. There was an inefficient nutrition education offered to the pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic. As means of promoting effective nutrition education, appropriate in-service training, mentorship, and support for the midwives are needed, as well as infrastructural and resource provision.


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