Periodontal Diseases and Pregnancy: Knowledge and Clinical Practice Habits of French Midwives

Several studies have demonstrated the role of periodontal disease as risk factor of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preterm birth, low birthweight and pre-eclampsia. As such, midwives can play an essential role in prevention and early screening as the preferred intermediary of pregnant women. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge, training and daily practice habits of midwives to determine if they fulfill their role in oral health prevention.

A questionnaire was sent by e-mail to practicing midwives and fifth-year midwifery students in the Brittany region of France. Data were collected online and descriptive data analyses were conducted.

A total of 192 practicing midwives and 13 students participated in the survey. The results showed that the majority of midwives were not familiar with the correlation between periodontal disease and adverse pregnancy outcomes and did not implement screening and prevention to a sufficient extent.

The explanation for this lack of knowledge seems to come from the initial training, since the topic of oral health is almost never discussed during midwives' studies. Most agreed they needed more training on periodontal disease and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Improving and integrating oral health education into the midwife academic curriculum can enhance midwives' engagement in oral health.