chronic apical periodontitis and birth outcomes: a case-control study

The relationship between chronic apical periodontitis and adverse pregnancy outcomes is still a matter of debate. The objective of this study was to compare the clinical and radiographic evidence of chronic apical periodontitis in mothers with low-birth-weight preterm births infants.

eighty nine women in postpartum period were included in this case-control study. The case group consisted of mothers of low birth weight (less than 2500 grams , n= 30), and preterm(less than 37 weeks, n= 29) infants and the control group was represented by mothers of newborns at term (n = 30). The CAP diagnosis was performed by using periapical radiographs through the periapical index in postpartum period. Data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis and chi-square tests and one way ANOVA.

The results of this study showed that 53.3% of the mothers in the control group, 55.2% in the preterm delivery group, and 53.3% in the low birth weight group had chronic apical periodontitis, and no statistically significant difference was observed among the three groups (P˃ 0.05).

Within the limits of this study, it seems that the presence of periapical lesions in mothers may not be a risk for the preterm and low birth weight infants.