Background . Preeclampsia and preterm delivery (PTD) are major causes of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Several studies have suggested an association between maternal periodontal disease and risk of preeclampsia and PTD but this has not been a consistent finding. We examined the relationship between maternal periodontal disease and risk of preeclampsia and PTD among Thai pregnant women.
Methods . A case-control study using one control for each case of preeclampsia or preterm delivery was conducted among women who delivered live births at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Rajavithi Hospital, and Police General Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand between July 2006 and November 2007. Periodontal examinations were performed within 48 hours after delivery. Putative risk factors for periodontal disease, preeclampsia and PTD were ascertained by means of a structured questionnaire and medical record abstraction. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).
Results . No clinical meaningful differences were observed between preeclampsia or preterm cases and controls with regard to mean probing depth, mean clinical attachment loss, mean percent of sites with plaque, mean percent of sites exhibiting bleeding on probing, and mean percent of sites with periodontal probing depth ≥4 mm or clinical attachment loss ≥4 mm. After controlling for known confounders, severe clinical periodontal disease was not associated with an increased risk of preeclampsia (OR= 0.92, 95% CI: 0.26-3.28) or PTD (OR= 1.16, 95% CI: 0.64-2.10).
Conclusions . There was no evidence for a positive association between maternal periodontal disease and preeclampsia or PTD risk in this population.
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