POTENTIAL PATHOGENIC MECHANISMS OF PERIODONTITIS-ASSOCIATED PREGNANCY COMPLICATIONS

Abstract During normal pregnancy, maternal hormones and locally acting cytokines play a key role in regulating the onset of labor, cervical ripening, uterine contraction, and delivery. Maternal infections during pregnancy have been demonstrated to perturb this normal cytokine and hormone-regulated gestation, sometimes resulting in preterm labor, preterm premature rupture of membranes, and preterm low birth weight (PLBW), i.e., < 2,500 g and < 37 weeks of gestation. Our research focus has been to determine whether periodontal infections can provide sufficient challenge to the mother to trigger PLBW. New experiments from 48 case-control subjects have measured gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) levels of PGE2 and IL-1β to determine whether mediator levels were related to current pregnancy outcome. In addition, the levels of 4 periodontal pathogens were measured by using microbe-specific DNA probes. Results indicate that GCF–PGE2 levels are significantly higher in PLBW mothers, as compared with normal birth weig...