Research conducted in Malawi, Africa, discovered a significant decrease in very-low-birth-weight babies among pregnant women who chewed xylitol-sweetened gum. This finding suggests that chewing xylitol gum may help prevent preterm birth.
Over a three-year period, more than 10,000 pregnant women in Malawi participated in the study. Those who chewed sugar-free, xylitol-sweetened gum experienced a 24 percent reduction in preterm birth rates compared to those who did not. Xylitol, a sugar-free sweetener derived from xylose, showed promising results in reducing the incidence of preterm birth, defined as babies born before 37 weeks of pregnancy.
The study, published in Med journal by Cell Press, highlighted the potential simplicity of using xylitol gum as an intervention for preterm birth in the region. The research involved randomly assigning pregnant women to receive xylitol gum or standard counseling, with those in the intervention group seeing a 30 percent decrease in very-low-birth-weight babies and a 24 percent reduction in preterm births.
Previous studies have linked periodontal disease, or gum disease, to an increased risk of preterm birth and low-birth-weight deliveries. While the specific mechanism behind this connection remains unclear, it may involve inflammatory responses or the spread of bacteria from the mouth to other organs.
Researchers noted that xylitol has probiotic properties and can reduce bacteria growth associated with periodontal disease and inflammation in gum tissues. The participants in the trial chewed xylitol gum throughout their pregnancy, which was more accessible and effective in improving oral health compared to traditional methods.
Further research is planned to confirm these findings in other regions and explore the impact of xylitol gum on neurodevelopmental outcomes in children born during the initial trial. While the study shows promise for using xylitol gum as an intervention for preterm birth, researchers caution against consuming high quantities of xylitol due to potential gastrointestinal issues.
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