Association between Low Birth Weight of the Infants and Maternal Periodontitis

Periodontitis is an infectious bacterial disease that leads to increased production of cytokines including prostaglandins. During maternal delivery, the level of prostaglandin increases to the threshold level in the amniotic fluid which leads to delivery. In the presence of infection, an increase in the amount of prostaglandins may occur sooner than the due date. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between periodontitis and low birth weight in pregnant women.

114 pregnant women (40 cases and 74 controls) participated in this case-control study. Periodontal indexes including pocket depth (PD), plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), clinical attachment loss (CAL), and bleeding on probing (BOP) were evaluated in all mothers and infants' weights were recorded. Using SPSS software version 20, data were analyzed by descriptive and quantitative tests.

The results showed significant statistical differences between the two groups in regard to BOP, PI, GI (p<0.001) and PD (p<0.05). Mothers of 92.5% of neonates with birth weights of less than 2500 grams, had periodontitis, while periodontitis  was detected in the mothers of 1.4% of infants with birth weights of more than 2500 grams and this difference was statistically significant. (p<0.05)

According to the results of this study, the periodontal condition of the pregnant women can affect neonatal birth weight. Therefore, it is necessary to design educational programs on gum diseases and their effects on the newborn before pregnancy.