Título: Relación entre enfermedad
periodontal, infección bacteriana
ascendente y patología placentaria
con parto prematuro / Relationship between periodontal
diseases and ascending bacterial
infection with preterm delivery
Resumen:Background: There is an association between periodontal diseases and
preterm delivery. Aim: To assess the relationship between periodontal diseases, ascending bacterial
infection and placental pathology with preterm delivery. Patients and methods: A periodontal
examination and collection of amniotic fluid and subgingival plaque samples were performed in
women with preterm labor with intact membranes, without an evident clinical cause or preterm
premature rupture of membranes, without clinical chorioamnionitis or labor and a gestational age
between 24 and 34 weeks. Microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity was defined as the presence of a
positive amniotic fluid culture. Cervicovaginal infection was defined as a bacterial vaginosis or positive
culture of cervix or vagina with a high neutrophil count. Ascending bacterial infection was diagnosed
as the microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity by ascending bacteria or cervicovaginal infection.
Corioamnionitis, funisitis or vellositis were diagnosed. Results: Fifty-nine women were included: fortytwo
with preterm labor with intact membranes and seventeen with preterm premature rupture of
membranes. The prevalence of periodontal diseases was 93.2%. Microbial invasion of the amniotic
fluid was detected in 27.1% of patients. Periodontal pathogenic bacteria were isolated in 18.6% of
amniotic fluid samples and 71.2% of subgingival plaque samples. The prevalence of ascending
bacterial infection was 83.1% and in 72.9% of women it was associated with periodontal disease.
Preterm delivery (<37 weeks) occurred in 64.4% of patients and was significantly associated with
generalized periodontal disease and with the association of ascending bacterial infection and
periodontal diseases. Patients with preterm delivery and generalized periodontal disease had a higher
frequency of chorioamnionitis and funisitis. Conclusions: Generalized periodontal disease and its
association with ascending bacterial infection are related to preterm delivery and placental markers of
bacterial ascending infection.