Researchers from New York University found that certain bacteria from the mouth may be related to preterm delivery and low birthweight according to a study in the Journal of Periodontology (JOP).

Pregnant women will want to include a periodontal evaluation as part of their prenatal care. That’s because researchers found that periodontal treatment significantly reduced the risk of having a preterm birth or a low birthweight infant, according to a study published in the Journal of Periodontology.

Results of a new study support the hypothesis that chronic periodontal infection increases the risk of developing preeclampsia in pregnant women. This study printed in February’s issue of the Journal of Periodontology.

Researchers found that pregnant women with periodontitis had 65 percent higher C-reactive protein (CRP) levels compared to periodontally healthy women. This study appears in the May issue of the Journal of Periodontology (JOP).

Research presented in a recent paper by Michalowicz et al published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) suggests that treatment of periodontitis in pregnant women improves periodontal health and is safe but does not significantly alter rates of preterm birth, low birth weight, or fetal growth restriction. This outcome is at variance with findings of other studies, which have suggested that periodontal treatment positively affects birth outcomes.