Abstract
Background: Periodontal disease can lead to bacteremia with release of cytokines, affecting implantation in women trying to conceive through in vitro fertilization (IVF). A potential association between maternal periodontal disease and poor IVF outcomes has been described.
Objective: The aim of the study is to assess whether pre-existing periodontal disease has any effect on IVF parameters.
Method: A pilot study composed of 34 women was conducted at a tertiary care center. Prior to IVF, dental examination, IVF parameters were collected.
Results: Thirty-four women participated in the study. The outcomes of 28 women (82.3%) were analyzed. Out of the 28 patients, 17 patients had a positive pregnancy test (60.7%) with a total of 13 live births (46.4%) and 4 pregnancy losses (14.3%). Plaque and bleeding index scores were both lower in patients who achieved pregnancy after IVF yet did not reach statistical significance (p=0.309 and 0.422). Comparison of mean values for the different infertility parameters showed no significant differences among women with different IVF outcomes (p>0.05). Different degrees of inflammation of the gingiva did not have an effect on the different clinical parameters and the live birth rates.
Conclusion: The evidence provided by the present study does not support the hypothesis. Addressing the status of oral health before any infertility treatment remains to be elucidated.
Acknowledgments
We want to thank Drs Nada Afeiche and Nancy Abdo for their help during dental examination sessions. This work was supported by grants from the Medical Practice Plan at the American University of Beirut.
Author contributions
All authors contributed to data analysis, drafting or revising the article, gave final approval of the version to be published, and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.
Disclosure
The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.