Periodontal disease as a risk factor in pre-term low birth weight--an assessment of gynecologists' knowledge: a pilot study.
Article
in English
| IMSEAR
| ID: sea-51444
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Pre-term low birth weight (PLBW) is a condition having tremendous financial impact on health care systems as well as the affected families. Studies suggest that 18.2% of all PLBW cases may be attributable to periodontal disease.OBJECTIVES:
To assess gynecologists' knowledge of periodontal disease as a risk factor in PLBW and their knowledge with regard to the oral manifestations of periodontal disease. MATERIALS ANDMETHODS:
A questionnaire survey was conducted on gynecologists in the city of Mangalore. The respondents were divided into four groups--those practicing only in medical colleges, those having only a private practice, those practicing in both medical colleges and in private practice, and post-graduate students of gynecology in the medical colleges in the city. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED The Chi-square test for proportions was used to test the differences between the groups.RESULTS:
Out of a total of 142 gynecologists, 93 participated in the survey. Group II respondents were omitted from the statistical analysis as the response rate was only 18.8%. Periodontal disease was considered to be a risk factor in PLBW by 52 (59.8%) respondents while 13 (14.9%) stated that it was not a risk factor at all. Sixty-seven (77%) respondents stated that bleeding/enlargement of the gingivae was a sign of periodontal infection.CONCLUSIONS:
Respondents' knowledge was high regarding the oral manifestations of periodontal disease but was low regarding periodontal disease as a risk factor in PLBW.
Full text:
Available
Index:
IMSEAR (South-East Asia)
Main subject:
Periodontal Diseases
/
Private Practice
/
Schools, Medical
/
Students, Medical
/
Practice Patterns, Physicians'
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Infant, Low Birth Weight
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Infant, Newborn
/
Pregnancy
Type of study:
Etiology study
/
Prognostic study
/
Qualitative research
/
Risk factors
Language:
English
Year:
2009
Type:
Article
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