Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 7, 2026
Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts
Published on: January 29, 2018
Preterm birth does not affect bone mineral density in young adults
Petra E Breukhoven1, Ralph W J Leunissen, Sandra W K de Kort
1Subdivision of Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC/Sophia Children's Hospital, Room number Sb-2603, Dr Molewaterplein 60, 3015 GJ Rotterdam, The Netherlands. p.breukhoven@erasmusmc.nl
Insights
Preterm birth does not impact bone mineral density in young adulthood. This study found no significant differences in bone mineral density (BMD) between individuals born preterm and those born at term.
Area of Science:
- Bone Health
- Perinatal Medicine
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Conflicting data exists regarding the long-term effects of prematurity on bone mineral density (BMD).
- Few studies have investigated the impact of preterm birth on BMD in early adulthood.
- Understanding these long-term effects is crucial for assessing lifelong bone health trajectories.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the long-term effects of preterm birth on total body bone mineral density (BMD(TB)), lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD(LS)), and lumbar spine bone mineral apparent density (BMAD(LS)).
- To determine if gestational age influences BMD in young adulthood.
- To compare BMD between individuals born preterm and those born at term.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 276 healthy young adults aged 18-24 years.
- Participants included 151 individuals born preterm (median gestational age 32.2 weeks) and 125 born at term (median gestational age 40.0 weeks).
- Bone mineral density was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.
Main Results:
- No significant linear correlations were found between gestational age and BMD(TB), BMD(LS), or BMAD(LS).
- Gestational age did not significantly contribute to the variance in BMD measures, even after adjusting for confounders.
- There were no significant differences in BMD(TB), BMD(LS), or BMAD(LS) between preterm and term-born subjects.
Conclusions:
- Gestational age is not a significant determinant of bone mineral density in young adulthood.
- Preterm birth, in the absence of serious postnatal complications, is not associated with reduced bone mineral density in early adulthood.
- These findings suggest that individuals born preterm may achieve comparable bone density to their term-born peers by young adulthood.
Objective:
Previous studies showed conflicting data on the effect of prematurity on bone mineral density (BMD) in infants and children. Only a few studies investigated the long-term effects of prematurity on BMD in early adulthood. The objective of our study was to assess the long-term effects of preterm birth on BMD of the total body (BMD(TB)), lumbar spine (BMD(LS)) and bone mineral apparent density of the LS (BMAD(LS)).
Design:
Cross-sectional study.
Methods:
It consists of two hundred and seventy-six healthy subjects without serious postnatal complications, aged 18-24 years. The contribution of gestational age to the variance in BMD in young adulthood and the differences in BMD between 151 subjects born preterm (median gestational age 32.2 weeks (interquartile range (IQR) 30.3-34.0)) and 125 subjects born at term (median gestational age 40.0 weeks (IQR 39.0-40.0)) were investigated. BMD was determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.
Results:
There were no significant linear correlations between gestational age and BMD(TB) (r=0.063, P=0.30), BMD(LS) (r=0.062, P=0.31) and BMAD(LS) (r=0.069, P=0.26). Also after adjustment for possible confounders, gestational age was no significant contributor to the variance in BMD(TB) (P=0.27), BMD(LS) (P=0.91) and BMAD(LS) (P=0.87). No significant differences were found between preterm and term subjects with regard to BMD(TB), BMD(LS) and BMAD(LS).
Conclusion:
In our cohort of 276 young adults, aged 18-24 years, gestational age was not a significant determinant in the variance of BMD. Preterm birth without serious postnatal complications is not associated with a lower BMD in young adulthood.
Related Concept Videos
01:29Bone Disorders
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
01:09Changes in the Appendicular Skeleton with Age
Initially, the limb buds consist of a core of mesenchyme covered by a layer of ectoderm. The ectoderm at the end of the limb bud thickens to form a narrow crest called the apical ectodermal ridge. This ridge stimulates the underlying...
01:17Hormones and Bone Tissue
Hormones That Influence Osteoblasts and/or Maintain the Matrix
Several hormones are necessary for controlling bone growth and maintaining the bone matrix. The pituitary gland secretes growth hormone (GH), which, as its name implies, controls bone growth. This happens in several ways: first, it triggers chondrocyte...
01:29Bone Formation by Intramembranous Ossification
The process begins when mesenchymal cells in the embryonic skeleton gather together and differentiate into osteogenic cells, which then develop into...
01:31Essential Minerals for Bone Health
Calcium and Phosphorus
Calcium is a critical component of bones, especially in the form of calcium phosphate and calcium carbonate. Since the body cannot make calcium, it must be obtained from the diet. However, calcium cannot be absorbed from the small intestine without...
01:40Bone Remodeling