Incidence of Periodontitis among Mothers Delivering Low Birth Weight Neonates in Kiambu County, Kenya

Abstract

Periodontitis is estimated to affect about 95% of adults in Kenya. In addition, low birth weight in Kiambu County, Kenya, has increased in the last ten years. Information on the effect of periodontitis on maternal and child health is scanty. We therefore sought to examine the relationship between low birth weight and periodontitis and to determine the incidence of periodontitis in mothers delivering low birth weight neonates in Kiambu County. In addition, we sought to evaluate the relationship between low birth weight and oral hygiene practices in the same county. We carried out a cross-sectional study using 384 post-partum mothers distributed across five hospitals in Kiambu County between June and December 2019. Mothers who had delivered singleton low birth weight neonates within 48 hours, according to the medical records, were enrolled for clinical examinations and interviewed using a structured questionnaire. All teeth, excluding third molars, were assessed using Clinical Case Definitions proposed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention working group for use in population-based periodontitis surveillance. About 92% of the participants were observed to have periodontitis, of which 53% had severe periodontitis. All oral hygiene practices were significantly associated with low birth weight (P<0.001). Incidences of maternal periodontitis are significantly associated with low birth weight with an R² = 0.732, P < 0.001 and a correlation of r = 0.875, P < 0.001. There is a high incidence of periodontitis in mothers delivering low birth weight neonates in Kiambu County. Poor oral hygiene practices are a potential predictor of low birth weight. A positive relationship exists between low birth weight and maternal periodontitis in this population. Oral health preventive and curative services should be incorporated in antenatal programmes in Kenya.