Periodontitis and preeclampsia in pregnancy: A systematic review and meta-analysis

TL;DR

This systematic review and meta-analysis found that periodontitis significantly increases the risk of preeclampsia during pregnancy, especially in lower-middle-income countries, highlighting the importance of periodontal health in pregnancy outcomes.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive synthesis of existing observational studies, establishing a significant link between periodontitis and preeclampsia with emphasis on socioeconomic factors.

Findings

Periodontitis is associated with increased preeclampsia risk.

The association is stronger in lower-middle-income countries.

Meta-analysis confirms the significance of periodontal health in pregnancy outcomes.

Abstract

Objectives: A conflicting body of evidence suggests localized periodontal inflammation to spread systemically during pregnancy inducing adverse pregnancy outcomes. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to specifically evaluate the relationship between periodontitis and preeclampsia. Methods: Electronic searches were carried out in Medline, Pubmed, Cochrane Controlled Clinical Trial Register to identify and select observational case-control and cohort studies that analyzed the association between periodontal disease and preeclampsia. Prisma guidelines and Moose checklist were followed. Results: Thirty studies including six cohorts and twenty-four case-control studies were selected. Periodontitis was significantly associated with increased risk for preeclampsia, especially in a subgroup analysis including cohort studies and subgroup analysis with lower-middle-income countries. Conclusion: Periodontitis appears as a significant risk factor for preeclampsia, which might be even more pronounced in lower-middle-income countries.