Periodontal disease and preterm birth in Piura, Peru: a case–control study

Background: The association between maternal periodontal disease and preterm birth varies across populations and periodontal case definitions. Objective: To evaluate the association between periodontal disease and preterm birth among postpartum women in Piura, Peru, and explore associations with maternal age and student status. Methods: A facility-based case–control study included 25 women with preterm delivery and 25 controls with term delivery, recruited by convenience sampling. Periodontal examinations assessed probing depth and clinical attachment loss. Sociodemographic characteristics were described, and associations were evaluated using two-sided Fisher exact tests. Crude odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated, applying the Haldane–Anscombe correction to the periodontal comparison because one cell contained zero observations. Results: Periodontal disease was present in 25 cases (100.0%) and seven controls (28.0%). The continuity-corrected OR was 125.80 (95% CI 6.75–2343.30; p < 0.001). Women aged 27–36 years had higher odds of preterm delivery than those aged 18–26 years (OR 8.14; 95% CI 2.29–28.90; p = 0.0016). No statistically significant association was observed for student status (p = 0.609). Secondary education was the most common educational level (70.0%), and 66.0% were homemakers. Conclusions: Periodontal disease and the older maternal age category were associated with preterm birth in this sample. The periodontal estimate was imprecise and unadjusted. These findings support further prospective investigation of periodontal health within maternal care without establishing causality.