Maternal Oral Health and Preterm Low Birth Weight in Tanzania
Author Information
Author(s): Mumghamba Elifuraha GS, Manji Karim P
Primary Institution: Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences
Hypothesis
Is there a relationship between maternal oral health status and preterm low-birth-weight infant deliveries?
Conclusion
The study found no evidence that periodontal disease or carious pulpal exposure are significant risk factors for preterm low-birth-weight deliveries, except for young age, hypertension, and being unmarried.
Supporting Evidence
- Young mothers (≤ 19 years) were more likely to have preterm low-birth-weight infants.
- Hypertension during pregnancy was a significant risk factor for preterm low-birth-weight deliveries.
- Unmarried mothers had a higher likelihood of delivering preterm low-birth-weight infants.
Takeaway
Mothers with poor oral health didn't have more preterm low-birth-weight babies than those with good oral health, but being young, having high blood pressure, and being unmarried were linked to more preterm births.
Methodology
A retrospective case-control study involving 373 postpartum mothers, comparing those with preterm low-birth-weight infants to those with normal-birth-weight infants.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the exclusion of mothers with systemic diseases and reliance on self-reported data.
Limitations
The study did not assess HIV and nutritional status, and the diagnosis of carious pulpal exposure was based on clinical presentation without radiological confirmation.
Participant Demographics
Postpartum mothers aged 14-44 years, with a majority being unmarried and having low education levels.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.011 for age ≤ 19 years, 0.013 for hypertension, 0.049 for marital status.
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 1.18 – 3.67 for age ≤ 19 years; 95% CI: 1.20 – 4.93 for hypertension; 95% CI: 1.00 – 2.53 for being unmarried.
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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