Periodontitis Is Associated With Preeclampsia in Pregnant Women

positive association between periodontitis and pregnancy complications. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of periodontitis and the subgingival microbial com-position on preeclampsia. Methods: A case-control study was carried out in Cali, Colombia that included 130 preeclamptic and 243 non-preeclamptic women between 26 to 36 weeks of pregnancy. Sociodemographic data, obstetric risk factors, periodontal status, and subgingival microbial composition were deter-mined in both groups. Preeclampsia was defined as blood pressure ‡140/90 mm Hg, and ‡2+ proteinuria, confirmed by 0.3 g proteinuria/24 hours of urine specimens. Controls were healthy pregnant women. Odds ratios (ORs) for periodontitis and subgingival microbiota compositions were calculated. Results: A total of 83 out of 130 preeclamptic women (63.8%) and 89 out of 243 controls (36.6%) had chronic peri-odontitis (OR: 3.0; 95 % confidence interval (CI): 1.91 to 4.87; P <0.001). Clinical attachment loss increased in the case group (4.0 – 0.10 mm) compared to the control group (3.0 – 0.08 mm) (P <0.001). The average newborn birth weight from pre-eclamptic mothers was 2.453 g, whereas in controls was 2.981 g (P <0.001). Two red complex microorganisms, Porphy-romonas gingivalis and Tannerella forsythensis, and the green complex microorganism Eikenella corrodenswere more preva-lent in the preeclamptic group than in controls (P <0.01). Conclusions: Chronic periodontal disease and the presence of P. gingivalis, T. forsythensis, and E. corrodens were signifi-cantly associated with preeclampsia in pregnant women. Fur-ther research is needed to establish pathogenic mechanisms of active periodontal disease and subgingival periodontopatho-gens related to preeclampsia development. J Periodontol 2006