Preterm birth risk rises as gum disease worsens. (Periodontal Disease: A Marker or a Cause?).

QUEBEC CITY -- Progression or worsening of periodontal disease is associated with a fivefold increased risk of preterm birth, compared with gum disease that doesn't get worse, Dr. Amy Murtha reported at the annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society for Obstetrics and Gynecology.

"Ultimately, periodontal disease may represent a marker for a unique patient population that is at higher risk for preterm delivery based on their ability to mount an intensified inflammatory response. Alternatively periodontal disease may represent a treatable cause of preterm delivery," said Dr. Murtha of Duke University, Durham, N.C.

In what is believed to be the first study to look at the effects of disease progression on outcomes, she and her associates tracked 88 pregnant women who were known to have periodontal disease at baseline as part of the Oral Conditions and Pregnancy study.

At baseline, all the women had oral examination before 26 weeks' gestation and again within 48 hours of delivery Progression was monitored by measuring the depth of pockets between the gums and teeth.

Periodontal, disease was defined as four sites with a pocket depth of at least 5 mm; progression of the disease was defined as four sites with at least a 2-mm increase in pocket depth.

Of the total, 32 women (36%) had periodontal disease that progressed during pregnancy; in this group the rate of preterm birth was 47%, compared with 27% among those with stable disease, Dr. Murtha reported.

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