References
A case of florid pregnancy gingivitis
From Volume 46, Issue 2, February 2019 | Pages 166-170
Article
There is consensus that physiological changes may occur in a person's periodontium during pregnancy1, 2 The expectant mother must adapt to the changes that occur during the period of pregnancy.3 The most noteworthy physiological change is the increase in production of the androgens, specifically the hormones oestrogen and progesterone. These steadily increase until the eighth month of pregnancy when progesterone remains constant and oestrogen continues to increase during the luteal phase.3 The increase in hormones is due to the placenta, which controls production in early pregnancy from the luteal phase (which results from the implantation of the embryo).3, 4 The oestrogen levels rise to more than 100 times by the time of birth, then during labour, with the placenta withdrawn, there is a significant decrease in the levels of both progesterone and oestrogen. Within 2−3 days post-partum, the levels of these hormones are reduced to those found pre-pregnancy.3
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