Study of Saliva Metabolic Changes During Pregnancy and Gum Health Comparing Pregnant Women and Non-Pregnant Healthy Women

What this Trial Is About

This research investigates how pregnancy affects the health of gums and the tissues supporting teeth by studying hormonal changes during pregnancy. It focuses on pregnancy gingivitis, a condition where gums become swollen, red, or bleed more easily, especially in the second and third trimesters. The study aims to understand how hormones, bacteria, and immune system changes impact gum health by analyzing saliva samples from pregnant and non-pregnant women. The study includes two groups 15 healthy pregnant women aged 18-40 with uncomplicated pregnancies and 15 healthy non-pregnant women aged 18-40 with regular menstrual cycles as controls. Saliva samples and periodontal health measurements are collected at multiple time points during pregnancy and postpartum for the pregnant group, and during the early follicular phase of the menstrual cycle for controls. Saliva samples will be analyzed using untargeted metabolomics with LC-MSMS to identify metabolites and biochemical pathways related to pregnancy and gum health. Participants will undergo dental exams measuring plaque, bleeding on probing, probing depth, and clinical attachment level at each visit. Saliva samples are collected after fasting to study metabolic changes. Researchers will track changes over the first, second, and third trimesters and 6-8 weeks after birth. The study will provide detailed data on saliva metabolite profiles and periodontal status to better understand pregnancy-related gum changes and support future early detection and prevention.

Metabolic Profiling of Saliva in Pregnancy and Periodontal Disease