title: [Risk assessment for preterm delivery in pregnant women with active periodontitis].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Premature labor has been regarded as a highly problematic clinical event not only due to its relation with perinatal mortality but also in the light of the remote results of the prematurity. Therefore many ongoing studies concentrate on evaluation of potentially avoidable risk factors of premature labor. Relatively few studies have suggested chronic periodontitis as such a determinant.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Prospective evaluation of periodontium changes in the course of otherwise normal pregnancy. Assessment of potential influence of periodontium pathology, and its severity, on the obstetrical complications. The authors have made literature search on the relation of active periodontitis and premature labor.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study involved 120 randomized gravidae attending electively dental clinic for a routine control.
  
  
  METHODS
  single pregnancy, no preterm delivery in a history, mother's age 18 to 35 years, gestational age 10 to 20 weeks based on a last menstrual period date--confirmed on ultrasound. Every patient underwent dental examination twice--at the inclusion date and 48 hours after delivery. Patients were divided into three groups. Group I (n = 25)--healthy patients. Group II (n = 61)--patients with mild or moderate periodontitis. Group III (n = 39) patients with a severe periodontitis. Progression of lesions was recognized if the post-delivery dental assessment revealed increase of the pockets depth higher than 2mm and in at least 4 places compared with the initial findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the course of otherwise normal pregnancy women with signs of inflammation within periodontium revealed progression of this pathology proportional to its severity in early pregnancy. This increase was associated with 4-fold higher rate of preterm deliveries in Group II and 12-fold in Group III compared with healthy patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Active and severe periodontitis should be regarded as independent and highly influential risk factor of the preterm delivery.
authors.affiliation: Klinika Perinatologii i Ginekologii w Zabrzu, SlAM w Katowicach.
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kaźmierczak
authors.forename: Patrycja
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fiegler
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wegrzyn
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fiegler-Mecik
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Przybyłek
authors.forename: Kazimierz
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kamiński
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D016015:Logistic Models; D008429:Maternal Welfare; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000592:standards; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011044:Poland; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000592:standards; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index