Pregnant mums who maintain good oral healthcare can reduce the chances of dangerous complications arising during pregnancy and prevent infection in their newborn baby, according to a new report.
A recent study by a team of UK researchers found that bacteria in a woman's mouth can cause potentially serious problems during pregnancy as it can be transmitted through the blood and amniotic fluid in the womb to her unborn child.
The report warns that this could contribute to the risk of a premature delivery, a low birth-weight baby, premature onset of contractions, or infection of the newborn child.
The researchers studied the contents of the stomachs of 57 newborn babies, which contained swallowed amniotic fluid, and found that the samples contained 46 different types of bacteria, two of which are found mainly in the mouth .
As a result of their findings, the scientists insist that simple oral healthcare, such as regular brushing of the teeth, can help to reduce any risks during pregnancy .
Research leader Cecilia Gonzales-Marin, from London’s Queen Mary University, said: " Hospitals routinely take these samples as part of the care of the babies born from a complicated pregnancy or at risk of serious infection."
"Our research group is using DNA techniques to confirm if bacteria from the newborn matches the bacteria in the respective mother's mouth ."
