Fulminant Sepsis and Perinatal Death at 23 Weeks Due to .

is a gram-negative anaerobe, a constituent of the oral microflora, responsible for chronic periodontal diseases. We describe a preterm infant with premature rupture of membranes at 23 weeks of gestational age due to . The newborn died soon after birth. Placental histopathology showed severe necrotizing chorioamnionitis and funisitis with gram-negative bacilli. After autopsy, was microbiologically isolated from the lung. The mother had dental hygiene 1 day before delivery, presenting mild and diffuse gingivitis. At admission, she had leukocytosis, foul-smelling vaginal discharge, but no fever. This case highlights the possibility of spreading from oral cavity after a dental procedure to the placenta with chorioamnionitis and fetal infection. This raises the question of whether dental procedures during pregnancy should be accompanied by prophylactic antibiotics.