Background: Preeclampsia is identified as an important cause for mother and newborn mortality. Inspite of extensive research, the exact etiological relations have not been established. Hence, an attempt has been made in this study to evaluate the relationship between the preeclampsia and maternal periodontal disease.
Materials and methods: The case-control study comprised of thirty pregnant women distributed equally in the case (preeclampsia) and control (healthy) group. Gingival index, plaque index, bleeding on probing, clinical probing depth, and clinical attachment level were measured in both groups. Microbiologic examination for identification of one red complex organism Porphyromonas gingivalis and one orange complex organism Fusobacterium nucleatum were done in plaque and placental blood of cases and controls. The clinical examinations and collection of placental blood were done 24 h before delivery.
Results: Periodontal condition in the preeclamptic women was statistically worse compared with the normotensive women. There was no statistically significant association between microorganisms in plaque and placental blood between normotensive control and preeclamptic pregnant women. The preeclamptic women had significantly higher chances of having newborns weighing <2.5 kg than the normotensive women.
Conclusion: The preeclamptic women were associated with significantly higher periodontitis and lower fetal birth weight than normotensive women.
Keywords: Normotensive; periodontitis; preeclampsia.