The Relationship between Periodontal Disease, Preterm Delivery, and Low Birth Weight of Infants: A Case-Control Study

Periodontal diseases, causing an infection site in the body, may be associated with a wide array of local and systemic diseases and conditions. Due to the high prevalence of periodontal disease in women, this study was conducted with the aim of determining whether periodontal disease during pregnancy is associated with premature delivery and low birth weight of the infants.

In this case-control study, the presence of periodontal disease in 115 mothers with premature birth (before 37 weeks) who had babies weighing less than 2500 grams were compared to 115 mothers with term births (after 37 weeks) and babies weighing over 2500 grams referred to the maternity hospital of Vali-e-Asr Birjand Educational-Therapeutic Center. Periodontal pocket depth, CPITN index, and gingival index were measured for 6 teeth with Ramfjord index. Data analysis was done using SPSS 16 software. The findings were described with mean ± standard deviation and frequency distribution tables; in addition, a comparison between the two groups was made with chi-square and independent t-test.

There was no difference between the two groups in terms of demographic variables. The average depth of the periodontal pocket, gingival index, as well as the index of severity and extent of periodontal disease in the case group were much higher than in the control group and these differences were statistically significant (P<0.05).

Periodontal diseases during pregnancy increase the risk of giving birth to a premature and low birth weight baby. Therefore, it is recommended to pay more attention to the examination and treatment of periodontal diseases in pre-pregnancy care and during pregnancy.