Women have a lot to worry about when they are pregnant. Unfortunately, studies show that they now have another worry the likely link between low birth weight babies and gum disease. This problem is distressingly more prevalent than a lot of expecting mothers may even realize. For your health and the health of your unborn child, you need to familiarize yourself with gum disease, its risks, and how to prevent them.
In the United States alone, as many as ten percent of babies are born prematurely. Naturally, premature babies tend to have a lower success rate. It is more difficult for these babies to thrive and survive. Their development could be at risk as well. Out of all the infant deaths in this nation, almost sixty percent of them are due to the babies being premature with low birth weight.
Such high numbers of afflicted mothers and babies demanded research. Tons of studies are still being done. Some of the results already stumbled upon an astonishing, downright chilling fact. There is a surprisingly strong link between mothers who have gum disease during their pregnancy. The study done suggests that these mothers were an astounding 7 times more apt to give birth to babies with low weights at birth.
Thus, a little more than eighteen percent of all babies born prematurely can be attributed to maternal gum disease. If the results are correct, that means that gum diseases causes low birth weight more than smoking or drinking during pregnancy.
A primary reason for these disturbing findings is due to the fact that, in general, if a mother has an infection during her pregnancy, her baby is more at risk for being born prematurely. This all begs the question, how can expectant mothers stop this from happening
Tags: babies and mothers, expecting mothers, gum disease, gum diseases, health women, infant deaths, low birth weight, oral health, premature babies, unborn child