New study suggests chewing sugar-free gum can reduce premature birth risk
A new study suggests that chewing sugar-free gum during pregnancy can reduce the risk of giving birth prematurely.
A US research team investigated the impact of chewing gum containing xylitol on a group of pregnant women in Malawi. The women were asked to chew sugar-free gum for 20 minutes per day.
The researchers discovered that women who had been part of the group given chewing gum had a lower risk of giving birth prematurely and having babies with low birth weight. In the group provided with gum, 12.6% of women had late premature babies, born between 34 and 37 weeks compared to 16.5% in a control group. Almost 13% of babies in the control group were underweight (5.5 lbs or under) compared to 8.9% in the study group.
The authors of the study said that the results were significant, with trials suggesting that chewing gum that contains xylitol for 20 minutes per day reduces the risk of premature births by 25%.
The team highlighted chewing sugar-free gum as a simple, affordable, accessible way to improve maternal health and lower risks during pregnancy.
Xylitol is a natural sugar substitute, which is often found in health stores and diet foods. Chewing xylitol gum is beneficial for oral health because it cleans the mouth, stimulates saliva production to remove debris and neutralise acids and reduces the risk of plaque formation.
Oral health plays a key role during pregnancy. Hormonal changes during pregnancy increase the risk of gum disease and studies have linked inflammation in the gums to elevated risks of premature birth, complications during labour and low birth weight.
All pregnant women are encouraged to attend regular dental checks. NHS dental care is free for pregnant women and women who have given birth in the last 12 months.
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