title: Influence of maternal periodontal disease as a risk factor for low birth weight infants in Indian population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Low birth weight is a known problem worldwide and appears to be more pronounced in developing countries. In view of the implication of periodontal infection as one of the risk factors for low birth weight and considering the fact that in India only very few studies are conducted in this regard, the present study was conducted to determine whether maternal periodontal disease can act as a risk factor for low birth weight babies.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group consisted of 62 primiparie mothers including 12 low birth weight cases who satisfied the inclusion/exclusion criteria. The age of the patients ranged from 18 to 37 years with a mean age of 23.27 years. Birth weight of the babies ranged from 1.64 to 3.75 kg and the mean weight was 2.67 Kg. Mean weight, height and body mass index (BMI) of the mothers were 53.47 Kg, 1.51 m, 23.48 respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Birth weight of the babies was regressed against age, BMI, plaque index (PI) and community periodontal index (CPI). Periodontitis was significantly associated (p < 0.0005) with a decrease of birth weight.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Periodontal disease was significantly related to preterm low birth weight.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Guru Gobind Singh College of Dental Sciences and Research Centre, Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: B Arun Kumar
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Chakki
authors.forename: Krantikiran Reddy
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Ealla
authors.forename: Prahalad
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hunsingi
authors.forename: Anoop
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Prasanna
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Manidanappanavar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008423:Maternal Age; D010298:Parity; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000150:complications; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult