title: Preterm low birth weights associated with periodontal disease in the Fiji Islands.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine any association between pre-term low birth weight (PTLBW) neonates and periodontal disease during the mother's pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multi-centered prospective case cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ante-natal clinics at the Colonial War Memorial and Lautoka Hospitals, Fiji from 1st January to 30th June 2004.
  
  
  METHODS
  670 multiethnic pregnant women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were interviewed to identify confounding variables--medical conditions, smoking, alcohol consumption, maternal age and history of preterm birth. Oral examination was conducted and included the Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs (CPITN). Delivery outcome was recorded for each woman.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of participants was 25.80 +/- 5.56 years. 1.9% (n=13) women delivered preterm babies. More than 50% of this group displayed moderate to severe periodontitis compared with 13% of women who had a normal delivery. Preterm birth was also associated with the mother having had a previous preterm birth and who was more likely to be Indo-Fijian (p < 0.01). There was no significant association with where the mother lived; however, rural women with PTLBW babies had more severe periodontal disease (p = 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a highly significant association between pre-term birth and moderate to severe periodontal disease (p = 0.0001).
authors.affiliation: Fiji School of Medicine, Suva, The Republic of the Fiji Islands.
authors.forename: Ramakant
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Leenu R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Maimanuku
authors.forename: Zac
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Morse
authors.forename: Angela R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Pack
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D005367:Fiji; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008423:Maternal Age; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000150:complications; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017584:Reproductive History; D012423:Rural Health; D012907:Smoking