Perinatal hypoxia and the risk of severe Molar-Incisor Hypomineralisation (MIH): a retrospective analysis of the pH value of umbilical arterial blood after birth

PURPOSE: Molar-Incisor Hypomineralisation (MIH) remains a widespread developmental disorder of the teeth with a still largely unknown etiology. Perinatal events were blamed in previous studies for the development of MIH. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of perinatal hypoxia—determined by the pH value of the umbilical cord blood—and to investigate its correlation with severe MIH retrospectively. In addition, cesarean section was recorded as differentiation variable. METHODS: A total number of 138 children (mean age 8.0 years ± 1.7), who were treated for severe MIH in a dental office in Berlin between the years 2008 and 2019, were included in the study. The control group was comprised of patients with the same date of birth (44 children, mean age 7.7 years ± 1.7). Information on the pH value of the arterial blood from the umbilical cord taken immediately after birth, whose recording is mandatory in Germany, was received from the parents by letter survey requesting the entries from the German Child Health Booklet. RESULTS: In the group of the male children born without cesarean section, the pH value of the control group was significantly lower (7.19 ± 0.09) than the pH value of the MIH group (7.27 ± 0.07, p = 0.0008). In female children born with or without cesarean section as well as in male children born by cesarean section there were no significant differences between the MIH and control group. CONCLUSIONS: No significant association between MIH and the pH value of the umbilical cord blood or birth by cesarean section could be found in the examined patient population.