Preterm Birth and Periodontal Disease

Preterm births (those occurring before 37 weeks of gestation) make up 12.5% of births in the United States. They account for 70% of perinatal deaths and nearly half of all long-term neurologic complications — the most important adverse outcomes of pregnancy.1 The earliest preterm births account for a disproportionate number of such adverse outcomes. Over the past several decades, despite extensive research and intensive medical and public health efforts, the rate of preterm birth has risen. Preterm birth may follow spontaneous preterm labor (in 50% of cases), membrane rupture (in 25% of cases), or the induction of labor or cesarean . . .