Periodontal disease and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Abstract

Periodontal disease is a common infectious disease in women of reproductive age. The disease is often not diagnosed and in studies of over 10 000 women has been associated with preterm birth, small for gestational age newborns, and preeclampsia. It has been shown in a smaller number of women that treatment of periodontal disease may reduce the rate of preterm birth. The pregnancy complications of periodontal disease may be due to lipopolysaccharide from the periodontal pockets inciting prostaglandin pathways controlling parturition. Three large randomized controlled trials of treatment of periodontal disease are underway and may provide confirmation of the importance of periodontal disease in causing complications of pregnancy.

• Authors: Alexis Shub, Jonathan R Swain, John P Newnham
• Journal: The journal of maternal-fetal & neonatal medicine : the official journal of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine, the Federation of Asia and Oceania Perinatal Societies, the International Society of Perinatal Obstetricians (J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med) Vol. 19 Issue 9 Pg. 521-8 (Sep 2006) ISSN: 1476-7058 [Print] England
• PMID: 16966119 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review)

Chemical References

• Cytokines
• Lipopolysaccharides
• Prostaglandins

Topics

• Abortion, Spontaneous (etiology)
• Adult
• Cytokines (metabolism)
• Female
• Fetal Growth Retardation (etiology)
• Humans
• Lipopolysaccharides (metabolism)
• Periodontal Diseases (diagnosis, physiopathology, therapy)
• Pre-Eclampsia (etiology)
• Pregnancy
• Pregnancy Complications, Infectious (diagnosis, physiopathology, therapy)
• Premature Birth (etiology)
• Prostaglandins (metabolism)