title: Periodontal disease as a risk factor in pre-term low birth weight--an assessment of gynecologists' knowledge: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pre-term low birth weight (PLBW) is a condition having tremendous financial impact on health care systems as well as the affected families. Studies suggest that 18.2% of all PLBW cases may be attributable to periodontal disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess gynecologists' knowledge of periodontal disease as a risk factor in PLBW and their knowledge with regard to the oral manifestations of periodontal disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire survey was conducted on gynecologists in the city of Mangalore. The respondents were divided into four groups--those practicing only in medical colleges, those having only a private practice, those practicing in both medical colleges and in private practice, and post-graduate students of gynecology in the medical colleges in the city.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Chi-square test for proportions was used to test the differences between the groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of a total of 142 gynecologists, 93 participated in the survey. Group II respondents were omitted from the statistical analysis as the response rate was only 18.8%. Periodontal disease was considered to be a risk factor in PLBW by 52 (59.8%) respondents while 13 (14.9%) stated that it was not a risk factor at all. Sixty-seven (77%) respondents stated that bleeding/enlargement of the gingivae was a sign of periodontal infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Respondents' knowledge was high regarding the oral manifestations of periodontal disease but was low regarding periodontal disease as a risk factor in PLBW.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Dentistry, Yenepoya Dental College, Deralakatte, Mangalore 575 018, India. merekhap@yahoo.co.in
authors.forename: Rekha P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Shenoy
authors.forename: Dilip G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Nayak
authors.forename: Peter S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Sequeira