Search

Objective: To demonstrate the role of periodontal treatment (PT) in the prevention of preterm delivery (PD). Methods: A comparative prospective study of two groups of pregnant women with threatening PD was carried out at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the University of Szeged: group A (n = 39) comprised patients who were merely examined dentally for periodontitis, and group B (n = 44) consisted of patients who received periodontal treatment during pregnancy. Results: Periodontitis was identified in 19 cases (48.7%) in group A and in 18 cases (40.9%) in group B. The mean birth weight of the newborns was significantly higher in group B (3,009.1 g) than in group A (2,580.8 g; p = 0.007). The rate of premature birth was significantly lower in the group who received PT (p = 0.012, odds ratio = 3.5, 95% confidence interval = 1.38–8.86). Conclusions: The PT of pregnant women can decrease the rate of premature birth and consequently lead to a better neonatal health outcome. Copyright © 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A case–control study was undertaken to detect whether initial chronic localized periodontitis could be a risk factor for preterm birth (PB) and foetal growth restriction. Methods: A PB case was defined if a patient had a threatening premature event during pregnancy pre-term premature rupture of membranes, or spontaneous pre-term delivery, before the 37th week of pregnancy, and/or the weight of the newborn was <2500 g. Into the PB (case) group, 77 women were allocated, while 84 were included in the control group, all of whom had delivery after the 37th gestational week and with a newborn weighing ⩾2500 g. Results: A significant association was found between PB and initial chronic localized periodontitis, the criteria being bleeding at ⩾50% of the examined teeth and having at least at one site at ⩾4 mm probing depth ( p=0.0001). The adjusted odds ratio for initial chronic localized periodontitis was 3.32, 95% CI: 1.64–6.69. The average weight of newborns of mothers with periodontitis was significantly less than that of the women without periodontitis ( p=0.002). Conclusions: The results support the hypothesis that initial chronic localized periodontitis of pregnant women could lead to PB, and birth-weight reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radnai M, Gorzó I, Nagy E, Urbán E, Novák T, Pál A: A possible association between preterm birth and early periodontitis. Pilot study. J Clin Periodontol 2004; 31: 736–741. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-051X.2004.00564.x. © Blackwell Munksgaard, 2004. According to many studies, generalised periodontitis can be a risk factor for preterm birth (PB). A case-control study was carried out to examine if early localised periodontitis could be a risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcome. Postpartum women without any systemic disease were included into the study. Similar numbers of patients belonged to the case (41) and to the control (44) groups. A PB case was defined if a patient had a threatening premature labour during pregnancy, preterm premature rupture of membranes, or spontaneous preterm labour, and/or the weight of the newborn was ⩽2499 g. Control women had delivery after the 37th gestational week and the newborn's weight was ⩾2500 g. Known risk factors like smoking, alcohol, drug consumption, socio-economic status and the periodontal status were recorded. A significant association was found between PB and early localised periodontitis of the patient with the following criterion having bleeding at ⩾50% of the examined sites (6 at each tooth) and having at least at one site ⩾4 mm probing depth ( p=0.001). The odds ratio was 5.46 at the 95% confidence interval. The average weight of the newborns in the periodontitis group was less than in the control group, the difference is significant ( p=0.047). The results indicate that early localised periodontitis of the patient during pregnancy can be regarded as an important risk factor for PB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The preterm delivery of low-birth-weight (PLBW) infants remains a significant public health issue and a leading cause of neonatal death and of long-term neurodevelopmental disturbances and health problems. Epidemiological and immunological studies have suggested that periodontal disease may be an independent risk factor for PLBW. The incidence of periodontal disease during pregnancy has been found to be associated with a significantly lower birth weight for gestational age after adjustment for race, parity and baby gender. The present case-control study, carried out to examine the distribution of anaerobes in pregnant women with periodontitis who experienced preterm delivery, provides microbial evidence that maternal periodontal disease and the presence of key pathogens are significant contributors to the obstetric risk of preterm delivery. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]