Obstetricians' Knowledge and Practice Behaviors Concerning Periodontal Health and Preterm Delivery and Low Birth Weight‪.‬

Introduction Preterm birth, low birth weight infants, and infant mortality are major health concerns in the United States and are considered leading perinatal problems in the developed world. (1) A preterm delivery (PTD) is an infant born less than 37 completed weeks gestation. (2) A low birth weight (LBW)infant is an infant born weighing less than 2500 g. (3) In 2004, of all live births, 12.5% were born premature, and 8.1% were born weighing less than 2500 g. (4) Infant mortality has decreased 18% between 1992-2002; however, it still remains high with 7 out of every 1000 infants dying before their first birthday. (4) The economic impact for these infants is estimated at $5.5 billion, annually. (5) Children born premature or LBW have an increased risk for neurodevelopmental problems, learning disabilities, and other health disparities. (6)