title: Serologically determined in utero exposure to oral pathogens may be associated with increased risk for neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions and length of stay.
abstract: METHODS
  The study sample was a subset of 1115 women enrolledinthe Oral Conditions and Pregnancy (OCAP) study, between 1997 and 2002, at Duke University Medical Center. Data from 650 women with umbilical cord blood samples and complete demographic information were analyzed for this study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fetal immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody to periodontal organisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Infant admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and total length of NICU hospitalization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The primary results were that infants with serological evidence of exposure (as measured by IgM antibody) to periodontal organisms had a higher rate of NICU admission when compared with seronegative infants (11% versus 5% respectively), adjusting for gestational age, and seropositive infants were more likely than seronegative infants to stay more than 3 or more than 7 days at the NICU. Similarly, NICU patterns were not detected for infant umbilical cord serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors concluded that in utero fetal exposure to oral pathogens increases the risk for NICU admissions and length of stay.
authors.affiliation: Division of Oral Health Centers for Disease, Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, Mail Stop F-10, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA. peke@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Paul I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Eke