No association between the presence of periodontal disease and poor IVF outcomes: a pilot study

Abstract

Dalia Khalife,1 Ali Khalil,1 Mohamad N Itani,2 Fatin Khalifeh,1 Sara Faour,1 Anastasia Salame,1 Ghina Ghazeeri11Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon; 2Department of Dentistry, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, LebanonBackground: 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.Keywords: periodontal disease, in vitro fertilization, infertility, inflammation, live birth

Keywords

• Periodontal Disease
• In Vitro Fertilization
• Infertility
• Inflammation
• Live Birth