Table 1
Summary of case control observational studies on periodontal disease and adverse pregnancy
outcomes (OR: odds ratio; CI: confidence interval)

Reference
Population
Periodontal Outcome Adverse Pregnancy
or Exposure Outcome
Findings and Conclusions

Offenbacher
et al. 1996 (16)
U.S.;
93 cases and
31 controls
Significant association between
periodontal disease and preterm LBW
(OR= 7. 5, 95% CI 1.95-28.8)
Davenport
et al. 2002 ( 31)
Mean pocket depth
(mm)
Goepfert
et al. 2004 ( 22)
Radnai
et al. 2004 ( 26)
United Kingdom;
236 cases and
507 controls
U.S.;
59 cases and
44 controls
Hungary; 41
cases and 44
controls
Jarjoura
et al. 2005 ( 23)

≥60% of sites with Birth weight < 2,500 g,
clinical attachment gestational age < 37
levels ≥ 3 mm weeks, preterm labor
and/or premature
rupture of membranes

Preterm delivery < 37 No association detected for
weeks and birth weight periodontal disease and preterm LBW
< 2,499 g (OR=0.83, 95% CI 0.68-1.00)
Clinical attachment Spontaneous PTB Significantly higher risk for PTB
levels ≥ 5 mm < 32 weeks for mothers with periodontal
disease (OR= 3. 4, 95% CI 1. 5-7. 7)
≥ 1 site with probing Premature labor, Significant association between
depth ≥ 4 mm and spontaneous rupture of periodontal disease and preterm LBW
bleeding on probing membranes and/or the (OR= 5. 4, 95% CI 1. 7-17. 3)
≥50% birth weight of the
newborn ≤ 2,499 g
Preterm delivery
< 37 weeks
Moliterno
et al. 2005 ( 29)
U.S.;
83 cases and
120 controls
Brazil; 76 cases
and 75 controls
Buduneli
et al. 2005 ( 33)
Turkey; 53 cases
and 128 controls
Moore
et al. 2005 ( 37)
≥ 5 sites with Significant association between
clinical attachment periodontal disease and preterm
levels ≥3mm delivery (OR= 2.75, 95% CI 1.01-7.54)
≥ 4 sites with pocket Preterm delivery < 37 Significantly higher risk for preterm
depth ≥ 4 mm and weeks and birth weight LBW for mothers with periodontal
clinical attachment < 2,500 g disease (OR= 3. 48, 95% CI 1. 17-10. 36)
levels ≥ 3 mm

Mean pocket depth Preterm delivery < 37

(mm) weeks or birth weight

< 2,500 g

Preterm delivery

< 37 weeks

No statistically significant differences
between the cases and controls with re-
gard to clinical periodontal parameters
No association between periodontal
disease and PTB
Bosnjak
et al. 2006 ( 24)
Skuldbol
et al. 2006 ( 35)

United Kingdom; Number of sites

61 cases and with pocket depth

93 controls ≥5mm

Croatia; 17 cases >60% of sites with Spontaneous PTB

and 64 controls clinical attachment < 37 weeks
levels ≥ 4 mm
Pocket depth ≥ 4
mm and bleeding
on probing
Denmark;
21 cases and
33 controls
Preterm delivery
< 35 weeks
Radnai
et al. 2006 ( 27)
Hungary;
77 cases and
84 controls
Significant association between
periodontal disease and PTB
(OR= 8. 13, 95% CI 2.73-45.9)
No difference in mean periodontal
parameters between the 2 groups;
no association between periodontal
disease and PTB
Significant association between
periodontal disease and preterm LBW
(OR= 3. 32, 95% CI 1.64-6.69)
Contreras
et al. 2006 ( 43)
Colombia;
130 cases and
243 controls
≥ 1 site with probing Preterm delivery
depth ≥ 4 mm and < 37 weeks and
bleeding on probing birth weight < 2,500 g
≥50%
Pocket depth and Preeclampsia: blood
clinical attachment pressure ≥140/90
loss ≥ 4 mm and mmHg and ≥ 2+
bleeding on probing proteinuria
Significant association for periodontal
disease and preeclampsia
(OR= 3.0, 95% CI 1.91-4.87)