Periodontal bacteria found in amniotic fluid
This entry was posted on 9/9/2007 11:01 AM and is filed under uncategorized.
Periodontal bacteria found in amniotic fluid
July 27, 2007 03:33 PM
A study appearing in the July issue of the Journal of Periodontology
revealed that bacteria commonly found in the mouth and associated with
periodontal diseases is in the amniotic fluid of some pregnant women.
The study, which evaluated 26 pregnant women with a diagnosis of
threatened premature labor, found the presence of periodontal bacteria,
P. Gingivalis,
in both the oral cavity and amniotic fluid in 30 percent of the women.
Amniotic fluid is a liquid that surrounds an unborn baby during
pregnancy. Any disruptions in the amniotic fluid, such as a bacterial
infection, could potentially be dangerous to both the mother and baby.
"We evaluated women who were at risk of premature labor," said study
author Gorge Gamonal, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Chile. "We
know that there are many reasons a woman can be diagnosed with
threatened premature labor, including bacterial infection. Past
research has shown a relationship between adverse pregnancy outcomes
and periodontal
