[Hyperplastic gingival lesions in pregnancy. I. Epidemiology, pathology and clinical aspects]

The principal aspects of the hyperplastic pathology which frequently appears during pregnancy and its epidemiological and clinical aspects are discussed. The existence of a particular kind of gingivitis, typical in pregnancy, not different from that appearing in not-pregnant women, let to hypothesize the existence of a relationship between the gingival lesion and the particular hormonal condition observed in pregnancy. Sometimes pregnancy gingivitis can show a tendency towards localized hyperplasia, this condition is defined pregnancy granuloma. Clinically a mass of variable size is observed; generally it appears in the 2 degrees-3 degrees month of pregnancy, with a tendency to bleeding and a possible interference with mastication. From a histological point of view, the pregnancy granuloma presents an inflammatory component characterized by lynphocytes, plasmacells and neutrophiles, an abundant vascular component with newly formed capillars and a great proliferation of fibroblasts. The differential diagnosis of pregnancy granuloma must be done with some forms of gingival hyperplasia, with pyogenic granuloma and with fibrous epulis (or hyperplasia). As to therapy, it is better to perform the surgical removal after delivery, considering that sometimes the lesions can spontaneously disappear. These lesions can reappear in a subsequent pregnancy.