A Gynaecology Consultant, Dr Ayodele Ademola, on Monday advised pregnant women to undergo dental examination to prevent mother-to-child transmission of bacteria and infection during pregnancy.
Ademola gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
He said that such procedure was necessary, especially at the early stage of pregnancy to ensure good health of mother and child.
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The consultant, who is attached to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), said the clinical check would help in preventing mother-to-child transmission of harmful and complicated issues, including premature labour.
He said there was need for pregnant women to avoid some procedures such as “tooth whitening” and ensure that they had regular medical check-ups to guard against bacterial infection.
“One possible reason is that oral bacteria harbour `Prostaglandin’, a labour-inducing hormone.
“Poor dental hygiene and gum disease can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke and adverse pregnancy outcome.
“During pregnancy, a woman’s body goes through several changes that can cause oral health problems, including hormonal changes, fluctuation in oral hygiene practices and eating pattern.
“Fluctuating hormone can cause expecting mothers to develop pregnancy gingivitis (swollen, bleeding gum),’’ he said.
According to him, this, if left untreated, can lead to periodontal diseases, which in turn, can raise the risk for low birth weight and premature delivery.
“If you reduce the bacteria in the mouth, you reduce the low-level infection that could cause pre-term labour.
“So, pregnant women are advised to undertake dental clinical examination and cleaning of their teeth at least once a day, to have a clean bill of health,” Ademola said.
The medical expert said that it was necessary for pregnant women to cultivate good eating habit to avoid unnecessary weight gain.
He disagreed with the belief that eating plenty of food would produce healthier and stronger babies.
Ademola said that heavier mothers, especially those who were over-weight during conception and then gained more weight during pregnancy were at greater risk of gestational diabetes and hypertension.
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According to him, their babies tend to be larger in the process and can cause serious difficulties during delivery.
He advised mothers against over-weight and urged them to do a lot of exercise to keep fit.
“You don’t need to gain a great deal of weight to have a healthier baby.
“A foetus generally requires only an extra 100 calories a day in the first trimester and 300 calories in the third trimester,” he said. (NAN)
