title: Maternal periodontal status and preterm delivery: a hospital based case-control study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recent studies have presented evidence that periodontal disease in pregnant women may be a determining factor for preterm delivery. However, this finding has not been consistently observed. The present investigation was carried out to explore the association between maternal periodontal disease and preterm delivery in the state of Kerala, India.
  
  
  METHODS
  The case-control study had a sample of 300 (100 cases and 200 controls) postpartum women over 18 years of age. Cases were women who had undergone spontaneous preterm delivery (< 37 wk of gestation) and controls were women who delivered at term (≥ 37 wk of gestation). Standard, clinical and periodontal examinations were performed at the maternity wards, and the existence of an association between periodontal disease and preterm delivery was evaluated by means of a multivariate logistic regression model that also considered other risk factors for preterm delivery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Periodontitis was diagnosed in 25% of the mothers in the case group and in 14.5% of the mothers in the control group. Logistic regression analysis indicated a risk of nearly threefold for preterm delivery in mothers with periodontitis [adjusted odds ratio (OR(a) ) = 2.72; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.68-6.84]. The other factors significantly associated with preterm birth were physical exertion (OR(a) = 2.80; 95% CI: 1.18-6.65), a previous history of preterm birth (OR(a) = 2.65; 95% CI: 1.20-5.83) and previous abortion/death of infant (OR(a) = 4.08; 95% CI: 1.56-10.65).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Periodontal disease is a possible risk factor for preterm delivery in this population.
authors.affiliation: Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies (AMCHSS), Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. drjaganb@gmail.com
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Baskaradoss
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Geevarghese
authors.forename: V R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Kutty
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000150:complications*; D005082:Physical Exertion; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000209:etiology*; D011295:Prenatal Care; D012307:Risk Factors; D012923:Social Class; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution