"Obstetric Care Providers' Knowledge and Practice Behaviors Concerning Periodontal Health and Preterm Low Birth Weight"
INTRODUCTION
Preterm birth, low birth weight and infant
mortality are major health problems in the United States. Although advances
have been made to improve maternal and infant care the cause of preterm low
birth weight has remained a problem. Preterm birth is a major medical, social
and economic problem accounting for a large proportion of neonatal mortality,
acute morbidity and long term sequelae. According to Offenbacher et al, these
infants account for 5 million neonatal intensive care unit hospital days per
year at an annual cost of greater than $5 billion. The overall cost to society
in terms of suffering and long-term disabilities, however, far exceeds these
monetary estimates. Many long-term disability cases, for example, begin as low
birth weight infants. Thus, the emotional, psychological, and financial burdens
on families who experience preterm low birth weight (PTLBW) can have profound
and long-term consequences to them and on society. In the United States, one
in ten babies is born preterm with low birth weight. About 25% of preterm low
birth weight cases occur without any of the known risk factors such as smoking,
genetics, alcohol use, level of prenatal care, nutrition and urinary tract infection.
These statistics are the core of the most recent research in the area of PTLBW
studies. Potential conditions and risk factors are being studied to seek new
avenues for intervention and prevention.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
This study is designed to assess obstetric
providers' level of knowledge related to periodontal disease and its potential
role as a risk factor for preterm birth or low birth weight. Their clinical
practice behaviors regarding this relationship will be evaluated as well.