Iranian Women and Health Care Providers’ Perception of Oral Health in Pregnancy: A Qualitative Research

Abstract

Background: Periodontal diseases during pregnancy are associated with adverse outcomes. This study aimed to explain the perception of healthcare providers and pregnant women about oral health during pregnancy.

Materials and Methods: This qualitative study was conducted with the approach of conventional content analysis in health centers of Hamadan, Iran, in 2020. To collect the data, semi‑structured in‑depth interviews with sixteen pregnant women and eight healthcare providers (gynecologist, midwife, and dentist) were used. Pregnant women with a singleton fetus, lack of chronic diseases and complications of pregnancy, willingness to participate in the study, and the ability to communicate properly were included in the study. Sampling was done purposefully with maximum variety. Data analysis accomplished according to the proposed steps by Graneheim and Lundman using MAXQDA 10 software.

Results: “Belief in the importance of oral health in pregnancy,” “Lack of a coherent structure for oral care,” “Accepting the negative effect of pregnancy on oral health,” and “The dilemma of treatment and non‑treatment in pregnancy” were four categories extracted from the data. The theme of “Ignoring the mother for the fetus” was obtained as the main theme of the present study.

Conclusions: The findings suggest that although mothers and healthcare providers have recognized the importance of oral health in pregnancy, underlying factors in society have led them to understand the mother’s oral health should be neglected because of the fetus. This perception can have a negative impact on their behavior, performance, and the oral health of mothers.