Study: Pregnant Women Share Opinions and Recommendations about Obtaining Dental Care
Hartford, CT – Oral health often takes a back seat to other health concerns during pregnancy, despite the risks involved to both the pregnant woman and her developing child, according to the Connecticut Health Foundation’s recently released issue brief, Promoting Oral Health In Pregnancy. The report shows that only 20-50 percent of pregnant women in the study report going to the dentist when pregnant. Dental and obstetrical professionals and leaders have been focused on understanding reasons why pregnant women don’t seek dental services and developing solutions to improve the patient engagement in dental care..
“In order for the solutions to be effective, it was critical to hear first-hand from pregnant women as previous research has been limited to the factors that affect the ability and inclination of pregnant women to seek oral health care services,” said Patricia Baker, president & CEO of the Connecticut Health Foundation.
One hundred low-income pregnant women – residing in Norwich, New Britain, Bridgeport and Torrington – participated in focus groups and in-depth interviews to discuss why they do or do not seek dental care services during pregnancy. Some of the barriers for not seeking care include: fear and mistrust, problems with the dental visit experience, the need for education about oral health, cost and access.
“Oral health is vitally important during pregnancy as gum disease has been associated with preterm birth and low birth weight,” said co-author Susan Reisine, PhD, professor and chair of the Division of Behavioral Sciences and Community Health and associate dean for research at the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine. “Tooth decay can lead to serious infections if left untreated, resulting in serious repercussions for the mother and baby.”
Many women do not know the consequences of poor oral health for themselves or their babies while pregnant, according to the study. The most frequently discussed issue was the need for education about oral health and dental care during pregnancy. One woman in the study commented:
“Who’s supposed to give us information about oral health? Our schools, our doctors, our obstetricians? Or, are we supposed to just magically know it?”
“Many dentists are reluctant to treat pregnant women because of liability issues,” said Reisine. “My hope is that the brief will raise awareness about the need for dental care during pregnancy for all women and that dental care is safe, leading to more treatment for those who need it most. In particular, I would like to see the access barriers addressed as well as establishing treatment guidelines for dentists in Connecticut.”
The women in the study made several suggestions for medical and other health care professionals:
- positive attitudes on the part of the dentists and their staff in an effort to reduce anxiety and help women feel cared about.
- referrals directly from their obstetricians to dentists when they first discover they are pregnant
- group meetings for pregnant women to address questions about oral health and instruction about dental hygiene
- scheduling both mothers’ and children’s appointments together or dental and prenatal visits to avoid multiple trips
Researchers’ recommendations to improve utilization of dental care by pregnant women ranged from improving communication strategies for providers engaged in patient’s care to integrating dental care as part of a total approach to health, including structured referrals and case management.
About the Connecticut Health Foundation
The Connecticut Health Foundation (CT Health) is the state’s largest independent health philanthropy dedicated to improving lives by changing health systems. Since it was established in July 1999, the foundation has supported innovative grant-making, public health policy research, technical assistance and convening to achieve its mission – to improve the health of the people of Connecticut. Over the past 12 years, CT Health has awarded grants totaling close to $50 million in 45 cities and towns throughout the state.
In April 2013, CT Health announced its five-year strategic plan to transition to expand health equity as a focus. For CT Health, health equity means helping more people gain access to better care, especially people of color. Better care includes physical, mental, and oral health.
For more information about the foundation, please visit www.cthealth.org or contact Senior Communications Officer Maryland Grier at Maryland@cthealth.org or 860.724.1580, ext. 21.
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