Gum disease linked to fertility
A study carried out by scientists in Australia has revealed that gum disease could have a negative impact on fertility.
The study, which was lead by Professor Roger Hart from the University of Western Australia, found that women who have poor oral health take an average of two months longer to conceive than women with good oral health.
Professor Hart said that this was the first study to examine the relationship between oral health and fertility; the results of the study show that oral health can have as significant an impact on fertility as other known factors, such as obesity.
The study involved almost 2,000 pregnant women; the research team asked the women for information about their pregnancy planning and the length of time it took to conceive. The results of the study showed that women with poor oral hygiene took longer to conceive than women with good oral hygiene; the average difference was two months but the conception period was longer for non-Caucasian women with poor oral hygiene.
The findings of the study were revealed at the annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. Sarah Norcross, director of the Progress Educational Trust, said that the results of the study were very interesting and suggested that further study concerning the relationship between oral health and fertility in women who are receiving fertility treatment could be valuable.
Gum disease has been identified as a risk factor for complications during pregnancy and labour; however, this is the first study to suggest that oral hygiene also affects fertility.
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