Factor Related to Utilization of Dental Services during Pregnancy

Background: The interaction between oral and systemic health has long been of interest. Objectives: The purposes of this study are to investigate factors related to utilization of dental services during pregnancy and to assess the extent of mothers' knowledge regarding oral health during pregnancy and its effect on pregnancy outcomes. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional data will be collected from women using a structured questionnaire mailed to mothers who had given birth in Nothern Jordan from Oct 2005 to March 2006. The survey will assess knowledge, behaviors, attitudes toward dental care during pregnancy, and personal, demographic and pregnancy-related factors. Variables which will show associations in bivariate analysis will be considered as candidates for building logistic regression models separately by domain (demographics, dental health care behaviors, lifestyle, financial variables, pregnancy-related variables, and knowledge of the possible association between oral health and pregnancy). Results: from the preliminary result we got so far the overall response rate expected to be around 50%. Dental visits during pregnancy expected to be reported by less than 30%of respondents. Few women were aware of the possible connection between oral health and pregnancy outcomes. In the bivariate analysis, factors significantly associated with reporting dental visits during pregnancy expected to be (1) personal factors (younger age, greater frequency of visiting the dentist when not pregnant, level of education etc.); (2) financial factors (dental insurance); and (3) knowledge of the possible connection between oral health and pregnancy outcomes. Conclusions: There wiil be probably limited knowledge of the possible relationships between oral health and pregnancy outcomes. This study suggests that better education of the importance of dental care before and during pregnancy is needed.