Does Treating Periodontal Disease During Pregnancy Improve Birth Outcomes?

Periodontal disease in pregnant women is associated with poor fetal outcomes, including preterm birth. To determine the effects of maternal treatment for periodontal disease on risk for preterm birth (<37 weeks' gestation), researchers randomized 1806 pregnant women with periodontal disease to undergo one-time, nonsurgical treatment before 24 weeks' gestation (prepartum-treatment group) or to treatment after delivery (delayed-treatment group). Women were identified from five clinics where they presented for standard obstetric care from 2004 through 2007.

Most (98%) women in the prepartum-treatment group received treatment, whereas 31% of the delayed-treatment group did not. The groups were similar, except that substantially more women in the…