relatively small proportion of women who already use their
services in pregnancy. Similarly, pleas for pre-conception
dental care are unlikely to be effective if, as was the case in
our study population, nearly half of pregnancies are unplan-
ned. If any impact is to be expected, it will need to come
from sensitizing maternity care providers to the issue and
from their ability to address it in antenatal clinics, pre-preg-
nancy counseling and antenatal education.