An Evaluation of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices of Obstetricians and Midwives Concerning Oral Health of Pregnant Women in Birjand in 2019

Abstract

Background: Periodontal disease in pregnant women usually occurs due to physiological changes during pregnancy and is associated with adverse prenatal and perinatal outcomes. However, pregnant women are reluctant to visit a dentist because of unreliable information or perceived hazards of dental procedures for the mother and fetus. Therefore, it is vital to examine the knowledge and practice of obstetricians and midwives and their attitude towards oral health of pregnant women as they are closely connected with these women. Methods: In this study, 90 obstetricians and midwives from Birjand were randomly selected. The data for their knowledge, attitude, and practice were collected through self-report. The scale developed by Malek Mohammadi et al, with a high reliability of 80%, was used for data collection. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 22.0. Results: Most of the participants (65.6%) worked in the hospital setting, and an average period of 10.32±8.24 years had passed from the subjects’ graduation. Of them, 82.2% provided care services for more than 40 hours per week for an average number of 31.3±67.6 patients. The mean score of knowledge, attitude, and practice were 6.27±1.33, 19.43±2.10, and 4.32±1.35, respectively. All participants considered it important to observe oral health during pregnancy, and 91.1% referred their patients to the dentist. Most of the participants (37.78%) obtained their information from continuous medical education programs. Conclusions: The results of this survey showed that the attitude and practice of obstetricians and midwives were satisfactory given their level of knowledge about the importance of oral health during pregnancy. However, they were still far from standard guidelines. Therefore, it is recommended that their knowledge and skills should be increased to obtain optimal care during pregnancy.