Objective: To determine the association between maternal chronic apical periodontitis and low birth weight preterm birth.
Methods: The case-control study was conducted at the Gynaecology Ward of the Civil Hospital, Karachi, from September 2017 to April 2018, and comprised women aged 19-48 years with singleton pregnancy delivering spontaneously. The subjects were examined for the presence of periodontitis. The mothers who delivered low birth weight preterm babies were the cases in group A and those who delivered normal birth weight babies were the controls in group B. On the delivery day, after the subject having been moved to the room, data was collected through a questionnaire to record demographic details, history of pregnancy and information about the newborn. The radiographs were assessed for the presence of chronic apical periodontitis. The association between maternal chronic apical periodontitis and low birth weight preterm birth was subsequently determined. Data was analysed using SPSS 24.
Results: Of the 200 subjects, 100(50%) were in group A with a mean age of 27.17±5.11 years, and 100(50%) were in group B with a mean age of 27.08±4.90 years. Low birth weight preterm birth was associated with education level and family size (p<0.05). There was no association between maternal chronic apical periodontitis and low birth weight preterm birth (p>0.05).
Conclusions: There was no association between maternal chronic apical periodontitis and low birth weight preterm birth.
Keywords: Low birth weight infant, Periodontitis, Preterm birth, Adverse pregnancy outcomes, Chronic apical periodontitis..