title: Awareness of the association between periodontal disease and adverse pregnancy outcome among the general female population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Preterm low birth weight (PTLBW) is a public health issue which needs to be dealt with by educating the general female population. One of the major contributing factors is periodontal disease and treatment of the same could reduce the occurrence of PTLBW babies. Therefore, awareness of this among the female population is highly essential. Hence, this survey was planned with the aim to explore the awareness of the general female population regarding the association of periodontal disease and PTLBW.
  
  
  METHODS
  This survey consisted of nine close-ended questions answered by 1284 females.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Younger individuals had higher knowledge scores as compared to the older individuals (r = -0.161) and the more educated group had a higher knowledge score as compared to the less educated groups (r = 0.322). Furthermore, married women seemed to be more aware of the relation of PTLBW to periodontal disease as compared to unmarried women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Younger and educated females had better awareness of the association between periodontal diseases and PTLBW. Hence, efforts to educate the general female population on this association could contribute toward the reduction of the risk of PTLBW.
authors.affiliation: M. R. Ambedkar Dental College and Hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Fouzia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tarannum
authors.forename: R K Shiva
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shobha
authors.forename: B B Santosh
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Supriya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ebenezer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008393:Marriage; D008875:Middle Aged; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires