Results: Women rated their general health significantly bet-
ter than their oral health (P-0.001) and attributed more
importance to healthy teeth for their baby than for them-
selves (P-0.001). Only 35% had dental care during preg-
nancy; 35% had no dental visit for at least two years and
27% reported cost as a major deterrent. Eighteen percent had
experienced gingival bleeding before pregnancy and 41%
during pregnancy. Gingival bleeding outside pregnancy was
clearly related to perceived oral health (P-0.001), but this
was less so for bleeding during pregnancy. The latter was
not related to age, level of education, employment, marital
status, or smoking habits. Only 38% of women with gingival
bleeding in pregnancy had a dental care visit in pregnancy
and 28% considered their oral health as very good.