SynthesisInternational journal of dental hygiene2026
The Risk of Preterm Birth in Women With Periodontitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Synthesis in International journal of dental hygiene, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Periodontal Medicine 2.0: a framework for evidence-calibrated, integrated and patient-centred care.Frontiers in dental medicine · 2026Article
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for predicting Major Obstetric Emergencies: Current Evidence, Clinical Translation, and Future Directions.International journal of women's health · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
aimPrevious studies have explored the association between periodontitis and preterm birth (PTB), with conflicting results primarily due to variability in methodology, statistical analyses and the case definitions of both conditions. This study aimed to synthesise critically the available scientific evidence of observational studies that evaluate the risk of PTB in pregnant women with or without periodontitis. MATERIAL AND
methodsMEDLINE-PubMed and Cochrane databases were searched from their inception through June 2025 to identify eligible studies evaluating the incidence of PTB in women with periodontitis compared to those without. Inclusion required that periodontitis be defined through full-mouth clinical examination, assessing probing pocket depth in combination with clinical attachment loss and/or radiographic alveolar bone loss. The risk of bias was assessed. Descriptive analysis, and when feasible, meta-analysis (MA) and trial sequential analysis (TSA) were performed. Sub-analyses were conducted based on the risk of bias analysis, study design, geographical area, periodontitis case definition, smoking, health or country social economic status, history of urinary tract infections and the number of evaluated teeth. The total body of evidence was graded.
resultsA total of 723 unique papers were identified, and 11 eligible studies were included. The descriptive analysis showed that seven of the eleven studies present a significant association between PTB and periodontitis. Confounding variables on personal, medical and environmental aspects lowered the risk. The crude overall MA based on 11 studies resulted in a small effect, odds ratio (OR: 2.38 [95% CI: 1.78; 3.18], p < 0.00001). The TSA showed that the required number of events was reached, and the type I error is ruled out.
conclusionThere is moderate certainty that pregnant women with periodontitis compared to pregnant women without periodontitis have a small risk of PTB.
trial registrationPROSPERO number: CRD42022327501.
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