Periodontitis and Preeclampsia in Pregnancy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVES: A conflicting body of evidence suggests localized periodontal inflammation spreads systemically during pregnancy inducing adverse pregnancy outcomes. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to specifically evaluate the relationship between periodontitis and preeclampsia. METHODS: Electronic searches were carried out in Medline, Pubmed, Embase, Lilacs, Cochrane Controlled Clinical Trial Register, CINAHL, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Google Scholar with no restrictions on the year of publication. We identified and selected observational case–control and cohort studies that analyzed the association between periodontal disease and preeclampsia. This meta-analysis was conducted following the PRISMA checklist and MOOSE checklist. Pooled odds ratios, mean difference, and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using the random effect model. Heterogeneity was tested with Cochran’s Q statistic. RESULTS: Thirty studies including six cohort- and twenty-four case–control studies were selected. Periodontitis was significantly associated with increased risk for preeclampsia (OR 3.18, 95% CI 2.26 – 4.48, p < 0.00001), especially in a subgroup analysis including cohort studies (OR 4.19, 95% CI 2.23 – 7.87, p < 0.00001). The association was even stronger in a subgroup analysis with lower-middle-income countries (OR 6.70, 95% CI 2.61 – 17.19, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Periodontitis appears as a significant risk factor for preeclampsia, which might be even more pronounced in lower-middle-income countries. Future studies to investigate if maternal amelioration of periodontitis prevents preeclampsia might be warranted.