Periodontal infection and preterm birth: successful periodontal therapy reduces the risk of preterm birth

• Published in: BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology 2011-01, Vol.118 (2), p.250-256
• Main Authors: Jeffcoat, M, Parry, S, Sammel, M, Clothier, B, Catlin, A, Macones, G
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Bacterial Infections - complications; Clinical trial; Clinical trials; Dental care; Dental Scaling - methods; Double-Blind Method; Female; Gum disease; Humans; intervention; Oral Hygiene - methods; periodontal disease; Periodontal Diseases - complications; Periodontal Diseases - therapy; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; Pregnancy Outcome; Premature birth; Premature Birth - microbiology; Prenatal Care - methods; preterm birth; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1470-0328; 1471-0528
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2010.02713.x

Please cite this paper as: Jeffcoat M, Parry S, Sammel M, Clothier B, Catlin A, Macones G. Periodontal infection and preterm birth: successful periodontal therapy reduces the risk of preterm birth. BJOG 2011;118:250–256. Objective  This study tested the hypothesis that successful periodontal treatment was associated with a reduction in the incidence of spontaneous preterm birth (PTB). Design  This was a randomised, controlled, blinded clinical trial. Setting  Hospital outpatient clinic. Population  Pregnant women of 6–20 weeks of gestation were eligible. Methods  Of 322 pregnant women with periodontal disease, 160 were randomly assigned to receive scaling and root planing (SRP, cleaning above and below the gum line), plus oral hygiene instruction, whereas the remaining 162 received only oral hygiene instruction and served as an untreated control group. Subjects received periodontal examinations before and 20 weeks after SRP, and were classified blindly according to the results of treatment into two groups: successful (‘non‐exposure’) and unsuccessful (‘exposure’) treatment. Groups were compared using standard inferential statistics; dichotomous variables were compared using the chi‐square test or logistic regression. Results are presented in terms of odds ratios. Main outcome measure  The main outcome measure was spontaneous preterm birth before 35 weeks of gestation. Results  No significant difference was found between the incidence of PTB in the control group (52.4%; n = 162) and the periodontal treatment group (45.6%; n = 160) (P