Trouble conceiving? Here's why gum disease may delay pregnancy

New Delhi: Researchers have found that a common bacterium associated with gum disease or periodontal disease may delay conception in young women.

Periodontal disease is an inflammatory reaction to a bacterial infection below the gum line, causing the gums to become red, swollen, and bleed easily.

"Our results encourage young women of fertile age to take care of their oral health and attend periodontal evaluations regularly," said one of the researchers Susanna Paju of the University of Helsinki in Finland.

The study included 256 healthy non-pregnant women (mean age 29.2 years, range 19 to 42) from Southern Finland who had discontinued contraception in order to become pregnant.

Participants were followed-up to establish whether they did or did not become pregnant during the observation period of 12 months.

During the one-year follow-up period, the researchers found significantly higher levels of porphyromonas gingivalis, a bacterium associated with periodontal diseases, in the saliva of women who did not become pregnant than among those who did become pregnant.

The levels of salivary and serum antibodies against this pathogen were also significantly higher in women who did not become pregnant.

Statistical analysis showed that the finding was independent of other risk factors contributing to conception, such as age, current smoking, socioeconomic status, bacterial vaginosis, previous deliveries, or clinical periodontal disease.

Women who had P gingivalis in the saliva and higher saliva or serum antibody concentrations against this bacterium had three times more dificulty getting pregnant compared to their counterparts.

Increased hazard was nearly four-fold if more than one of these qualities and clinical signs of periodontitis were present.

"Our study does not answer the question on possible reasons for infertility but it shows that periodontal bacteria may have a systemic effect even in lower amounts, and even before clear clinical signs of gum disease can be seen," Paju said.

Young women are encouraged to take care of their oral health and maintain good oral hygiene when they are planning pregnancy, said Paju.

"More studies are needed to explain the mechanisms behind this association," Paju noted.

The research has been published in the Journal of Oral Microbiology.

(With IANS inputs)