INTRODUCTION: The birth of newborn (NB) underweight is considered a public health problem and is often associated with prematurity. The etiology of preterm birth is complex and often is related to several factors. Several theories have correlated the periodontal health of pregnant women with preterm birth (gestational age) and / or with low birth weight. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to evaluate the possible correlation between periodontal health with gestacional time and/or with low birth weight. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A Prospective longitudinal observational study with pregnant women that were attending a extension project of UFPI - Preventive Program for Pregnant Women and Babies - PPPWB. Data collection was structured in two moments: 1st fill sheet containing questions related to health of the pregnant woman, complete clinical and periodontal examination of the oral cavity and 2nd data collection on the type of delivery, gestation length, baby's weight and health condition. RESULT: A total of 62 pregnant women were attended and only 43 patients participated in the second moment of the study. There was a predominance of women aged between 25 to 35 years (55.81%). The bleeding index ranged from 1.19% to 92.50%. The average weight of infants was 3365.33 g and gestational time was 39.33 weeks. CONCLUSION: The results of this study did not support the hypothesis that periodontal disease is associated with gestacional time and/or low birth weight.
Periodontics; premature; low birth weight