Do the clinical criteria used to diagnose periodontitis affect the association with prematurity?

In recent years, several studies have examined the possible relationship between periodontal disease in pregnant women and preterm birth. One of the difficulties facing these studies is the heterogeneity of the clinical criteria used to define periodontitis. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the degree of association between maternal periodontitis and preterm birth according to different consensus definitions of periodontal disease. In a study of 146 mothers (60 with preterm births and 86 with term deliveries) at the Sant Joan de Déu Maternal and Children's Hospital in Barcelona, a periodontal examination was carried out within 2 days of birth and the presence of periodontal disease was evaluated using the main clinical classifications published in the literature. The prevalence of periodontitis ranged from 25.4 to 52.1%, depending on the criteria used for its definition. Using the most restrictive criteria, pregnant women with periodontitis had a higher risk of preterm birth (OR: 7.49; p < 0.001) and premature rupture of membranes (OR: 2.49; p = 0.017). Premature infants born to mothers with periodontitis presented a tendency toward low weight, adjusted for gestational age (OR: 3.32; p = 0.065). Our findings suggest that the association between periodontitis and preterm birth is influenced by the definitions of periodontitis used.

Urinary incontinence during pregnancy. Is there a difference between first and third trimester?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence and severity of urinary incontinence and to see if there are any differences between first and third trimester of pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study of two groups of women was conducted. All patients attending our hospital for obstetric ultrasound examination during the first trimester (group 1=less than 13 weeks of pregnancy) and third trimester (group 2=up to 28 weeks of pregnancy) were eligible for inclusion. All participating women completed self-reported questionnaires: ICIQ-SF, PFDI-20 (UDI-6, CRADI-8, POPDI-6) and SF-36. The variables studied were biodemographic data and results from questionnaire responses. RESULTS: From March 2012 to May 2012, 224 consecutive pregnant women were included in this study: group 1 (n=58) and group 2 (n=166). The incidence of urinary incontinence during pregnancy is different in first and third trimester: 18.96% (11 of 58) and 39.76% (66 of 166) (p=0.008). 100% and 84.12% of women with UI in first trimester and third trimester respectively leak a small amount of urine. In 15.87% of group 2 the leakage was a moderate amount of urine. Participants mainly presented Stress UI (78.37%) and urge was only present in 12.16% of them. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, according to the results obtained, the prevalence of urinary incontinence in our population of pregnant women was 34.37%, which means that more than a third of the population of pregnant women is affected, and that this disorder is more common during the third trimester of pregnancy than during the first. The most common form was stress urinary incontinence, affecting 48.05% of the women. In all patients, leakage was slight-moderate that did not severely hamper their everyday life but did affect their physical, mental and social domains of their quality of life. Another problem, even more prevalent than incontinence itself, was the increase in urinary frequency, affecting 41.25% of the pregnant women and causing discomfort/distress in the 68.8%.