In a first of its kind study, researchers claim to have found a connection between mother’s unhealthy gums and birth of a still baby.

Researchers revealed that the oral bacteria Fusobacterium nucleatum in mother’s gums can reach the fetus through blood leading to the death of the unborn.

“It is the first documented case of this oral bacterium causing a full-term stillbirth in humans,” said lead researcher Yiping Han, from Department of Periodontics, Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine that conducted the research.

Details of the study
The research was conducted on a 35-year-old mother who delivered her first still baby at Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California.

Throughout her pregnancy, she suffered extreme gum bleeding, an indicator of pregnancy related gingivitis, a usual problem faced by 75 percent of expectant mothers owing to hormonal changes.

Postmortem microbial studies conducted on the baby established the presence of the bacteria F. nucleatum in baby’s lungs and stomach.

It was also found that the baby had died because of contagion and swelling caused by the bacteria.

The team found, using DNA cloning technologies, that plaque samples from the mother’s teeth matched with the contents found in baby’s lungs and stomach.

Han also conducted tests of the mother’s vaginal and rectal areas, and found that they did not contain the bacteria. So, the test further ascertained the cause of the infant’s death.

“The testing strongly suggested the bacteria were delivered through the blood,” said Han.

Effects of gingivitis
Bleeding caused by gingivitis--a state of inflammation of the gums--lets the bacteria, usually restricted to the mouth as a result of body’s defense mechanism, enter the blood and then the placenta--organ that connects the developing fetus to the uterine wall.

The bacteria penetrate through the immune-free amniotic fluid--nourishing and protecting liquid surrounding the fetus, and are sooner or later ingested by the baby.

In normal cases, mother’s immune system guards the bacteria before it reaches the placenta through the blood, but in cases like these, the mother might experience respiratory illness like a fever before the birth that restricts the function of the immune system.

“The new study underscores the importance of oral hygiene not only for pregnant women, but also for those contemplating pregnancy,” said Dr. Michael Lu, associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology and public health, University of California.

The details of the study appear in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology.