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[Pregnancy and lactation are not risk factors for osteoporosis or fractures]
Magnus K Karlsson1, Henrik G Ahlborg, Caroline Karlsson
1Ortopediska kliniken, Universitetssjukhuset MAS, SE-205 02 Malmö, Sweden. magnus.karlsson@orto.mas.lu.se
Observational and case control studies infer that a pregnancy and a period of lactation are followed by loss in bone mass of up to 5%. The reason for this loss is virtually impossible to conclude as so many factors known to influence the bone mass undergo changes during a pregnancy and lactation. The increased calcium demand, changed nutritional habits, reduced smoking and alcohol consumption seen in many women during these periods, the changes in body weight and fat content, the changed level of physical activity and the changed levels of hormones with potential to influence the bone metabolism could all influence the bone mass. Most studies also report that the deficit in "bone mass" normalises after weaning. Multiple pregnancies and long total duration of lactation can not be regarded as risk factors for osteoporosis and fragility fractures as most reports indicate that women with multiple pregnancies have similar or higher bone mass and similar or lower fracture incidence than their peers with no children.
Observational and case control studies infer that a pregnancy and a period of lactation are followed by loss in bone mass of up to 5%. The reason for this loss is virtually impossible to conclude as so many factors known to influence the bone mass undergo changes during a pregnancy and lactation. The increased calcium demand, changed nutritional habits, reduced smoking and alcohol consumption seen in many women during these periods, the changes in body weight and fat content, the changed level of physical activity and the changed levels of hormones with potential to influence the bone metabolism could all influence the bone mass. Most studies also report that the deficit in "bone mass" normalises after weaning. Multiple pregnancies and long total duration of lactation can not be regarded as risk factors for osteoporosis and fragility fractures as most reports indicate that women with multiple pregnancies have similar or higher bone mass and similar or lower fracture incidence than their peers with no children.
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