Periodontitis and the premature labor in the light of the clinical examinations in the selected population of women

The aim of the study was determine the potential relationship between periodontitis in pregnant women and premature birth risk and neonate low weight at birth risk. The clinical material consisted of 120 postpartum mothers divided into two groups depending on the pregnancy duration and birth weight of a neonate. The primipara subgroups (I/P and II/P) were distinguished in both groups. The same periodontal examination was carried out in all patients estimating indexes and clinical parameters defining periodontal status. The logistic regression model was defined in order to determine the relative risk and the dependencies between periodontitis and occurrence of premature labor. The statistical examination demonstrated that more advanced pathological changes in parodontium occurred in all women with preterm low birth weight newborns (PLBW) in comparison to the women with appropriate gestational age newborns(AGA). The significantly higher percentage of women with periodontal disease was demonstrated in groups I and I/P comparing to the groups II and II/P. The logistic regression model applied in the study demonstrated that periodontitis is a statistically significant risk factor for premature birth and related low birth rate of a neonate.