Pregnancy-associated Osteoporosis Research Articles

Pregnancy‐associated osteoporosis following in vitro fertilization: A case report

Key Clinical MessageThis case report illustrates that in vitro fertilization (IVF) may be a potential risk factor for pregnancy‐associated osteoporosis (PAO), highlighting the need for awareness and monitoring of bone health in women undergoing IVF treatments. PAO is a rare disease resulting from an imbalance of calcium in the body during pregnancy and lactation and presenting with fragility fractures. PAO occurs in late pregnancy or early postpartum period. A 28‐year‐old woman who conceived through IVF experienced severe back pain 2 days after delivery. Magnetic resonance imaging of the spine showed wedge‐shaped fractures of T9‐T12 vertebrae. Bone mineral density (BMD) was low on dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry. The laboratory tests were within the normal range. Based on the clinical manifestations, osteoporotic spine fracture, results of BMD, and exclusion of other causes of osteoporosis, the patient was diagnosed with PAO. Considering the deleterious effect of treatment with gonadotropin‐releasing hormone and repeated superovulation on bone, we hypothesized that IVF may be an etiological factor for PAO.

Clinical case of pulmonary cement embolism and adjacent fractures as a complication after vertebroplasty

Introduction: Osteoporosis is a skeleton disease with reduction in bone mass and disruption of the bone microstructure. A rare secondary form is pregnancy-associated osteoporosis. The standard method for determining bone density is DEXA measurement (dual X-ray absorptiometry). With the radiofrequency echographic multi spectrometry (REMS) method this is done using ultrasound without radiation exposure. Osteoporosis often leads to pathological fractures of the vertebrae. In case of severe pain and immobilization vertebroplasty is considered standard procedure. However, it can have side effects such as cement leakage into surrounding tissue, pulmonary embolism and adjacent fractures.
 Case: We present a 27-year-old female patient with compression fractures of the Th8 and Th12 5 months after labour. DEXA measurements showed values of the T-score at hip neck -2,5 SD (total) and -3,5 SD (L1-L4) at spine. The fractures of the Th8 and Th12 were then treated with vertebroplasty. A post-operative CT showed cement leakage and extravasation, as well as bilateral cement embolism of the proximal branches of the pulmonary arteries and progression of the height loss of Th5, Th7 and L1.
 Discussion: Pulmonary cement embolism is a rare complication of vertebroplasty. Cement leakage is more frequent complication, although most of the time asymptomatic. These risks of complications make the alternative conservative treatment worth considering before proceeding to surgical interventions. Only after failure to achieve adequate pain management kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty should be considered, due to the risks of prolonged immobilization of the patient leading to further bone and muscle loss.
 Conclusion: Pregnancy associated osteoporosis is very rare. The radiation free REMS method is suitable for pregnant women. Vertebroplasty offers pain relief and rapid mobilization of the patient. However, it poses a risk of numerous complications. The osteoporotic fractures of the vertebrae are usually stable and a conservative treatment prior to surgical interventions should always be considered.

Clinical Features, Incidence and Treatment Outcome in Pregnancy-Associated Osteoporosis: A Single-Centre Experience over Two Decades

Pregnancy-associated osteoporosis (PAO) is a rare syndrome which typically presents with vertebral fractures during pregnancy or lactation. The medical records of sixteen patients with PAO who presented to a specialist clinic at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh over a 20-year period were reviewed to evaluate the mode of presentation, potential risk factors and response to treatment. The most common presentation was back pain occurring in 13/16 (81.2%) individuals due to multiple vertebral fractures. The diagnosis was usually made postpartum and in 12/16 individuals (75.0%), PAO presented during the woman’s first pregnancy. Medicines which could have contributed to the development of PAO included thromboprophylaxis therapies in 8 subjects (50.0%), inhaled or injected corticosteroids in 5 (31.3%), anticonvulsants in 2 (12.5%) and a LHRH agonist in 1 (6.3%). Five individuals reported a family history of osteoporosis, and two pregnancies were complicated by hyperemesis gravidarum. Treatments administered included calcium and vitamin D supplements, bisphosphonates and teriparatide. Bone mineral density increased following the diagnosis in all cases, regardless of treatment given. One patient had further fracture during follow-up, but four patients had subsequent pregnancies without fractures. We estimated that in this locality, the incidence of PAO was 6.8/100,000 pregnancies with a point prevalence of 4.1 per 100,000 women. This case series indicates the importance of family history of osteoporosis and thromboprophylaxis drugs as risk factors for PAO while also demonstrating that the reductions in bone density tend to reverse with time, irrespective of the treatment given.

THU438 A Case Of Pregnancy Associated Osteoporosis

Abstract Disclosure: S. Maradana: None. F. Iqbal: None. M. Safran: None. Background: Pregnancy associated osteoporosis (PAO) is a rare form of osteoporosis that is seen in late pregnancy and early post-partum period. Hip and vertebral body are most involved in PAO. Common clinical manifestation is back pain, and many patients suffer from vertebral fractures and kyphosis causing great physiologic burden and negative impact on quality of life. We report a case of PAO with good response to teriparatide. Clinical case: A 27-year-old female with no significant past medical history presented with severe acute back pain two months after delivery of her second child, whilst still breast feeding. Imaging studies demonstrated acute compression fractures of T12, L1, L2 and L3 vertebrae. She had regular monthly menstrual cycles prior to pregnancy with no previous history of fractures. Her pre pregnancy weight was 135 lbs and she had been physically active, while caring for her older son. Family history is notable for osteoporosis in multiple paternal aunts and maternal grandmother with no family history of fractures. There were no other identifiable risk factors. Evaluation for secondary causes of osteoporosis showed 25-OH vitamin D levels of 23 ng/mL (NL 30-100 ng/mL), TSH 1.72 uIU/mL (NL 0.28-3.8 uIU/mL), PTH 19 pg/mL (NL 14-64 pg/mL), calcium 9.7 mg/dL (NL 8.7-10.7 mg/dL), phosphorus 4 mg/dL (NL 2.5-4.5 mg/dL), tryptase 4 mcg/L (NL <11 mcg/L), alkaline phosphatase 111 U/L (NL 30-115 U/L) and 24-hour urine calcium 168 mg (NL 100-300 mg). Urine immune electrophoresis and serum immunofixation did not show any evidence of monoclonal gammopathy. DEXA scan showed low BMD with Z-score of −4.4 SD in lumbar spine -3.1 in femoral neck. She was diagnosed with PAO. She stopped breast feeding after the diagnosis. As the bone mineral density was very low, she was started on teriparatide along with calcium and vitamin D supplementation. One year after treatment initiation, her DEXA scan showed improved bone mineral density with Z-score of −3.5 in lumbar spine and −1.9 in femoral neck. Her osteoporosis is currently being managed with teriparatide with plan to continue for a total duration of 24 months. Conclusion: PAO is under-recognized and under-reported, with limited available evidence on the management. Spontaneous improvement in BMD is known to occur in 6-12 months after pregnancy and lactation have been completed, although, the addition of anti-resorptive treatment in this setting may result in superior BMD gain compared with calcium and vitamin D supplementation alone. Use of teriparatide has shown to have significant increase in BMD and help with pain relief in PAO. Teriparatide has helped with improving the BMD in our patient. Nevertheless, controlled trials are lacking, and the optimal timing of teriparatide use in these women remains uncertain. Presentation: Thursday, June 15, 2023

THU439 Baby's Coming, Break A Leg! A Case Of Transient Osteoporosis Of The Hip

Abstract Disclosure: A. Khan: None. A. Syeda: None. H.B. Aftab: None. Introduction: Pregnancy-associated osteoporosis (PAO) is a rare condition presenting as fragility fractures usually in the latter part of pregnancy or immediate postpartum period. Vertebral fractures are more commonly reported but femoral fractures have also been described in the literature as a distinct entity: transient osteoporosis of the hip (TOH). We present a case of bilateral (B/L) femoral fractures in a woman during pregnancy and in the postpartum period. Case: A 31-year-old, gravida 1 female developed left leg pain at 26 weeks of gestation. The pain radiated from her left lower back to her left knee. It was severe in intensity resulting in her walking with crutches. Subsequent MRI of the left hip showed subchondral insufficiency fracture of the femoral head with prominent bone marrow edema extending from the head into the femoral neck. She was managed conservatively with non-weight bearing status and oral analgesics. She had an uncomplicated vaginal delivery at 39 weeks of gestation. During the first postpartum week she developed right hip pain. MRI of right hip revealed nondisplaced right femoral head subchondral insufficiency fracture with associated effusion and synovitis. She recovered within the next 3 months with resolution of her pain with conservative management. Other than limited calcium intake in childhood, there were no other identifiable risk factors for osteoporosis. Bone density scan revealed normal Z-scores at the lumbar spine and non-dominant wrist. The hips were not evaluated. Workup for secondary causes of osteoporosis was unremarkable including normal serum calcium, PTH, phosphorus, magnesium, SPEP, tissue transglutaminase antibodies, estradiol, LH, FSH, prolactin levels. However, 24-hour urine calcium level was low at 11 (35-250) mg/24hr. Elevated levels of bone specific alkaline phosphatase and urine N-telopeptide (NTX) were noted at 19.9 (5.3-19.5) mcg/L and 110 (4-64) nM BCE/mM creatinine, respectively. Patient was continued on vitamin D and calcium supplements. She breastfed for the initial 2 months but was advised to stop. At her most recent follow up visit 4 months postpartum patient was doing well. Discussion: TOH is a rare entity, and presentation as B/L femoral fractures is exceedingly rare. During pregnancy and lactation, the skeletal system undergoes bone loss to compensate for the calcium demand of the fetal skeletal system. In TOH, venous stasis from the gravid uterus resulting in bone marrow edema is the proposed mechanism in addition to pregnancy associated bone loss. In our patient, a low 24-hr urine calcium could suggest low calcium intake which could have contributed to the fracture as well. While recurrence of PAO has been described, no recurrence of TOH has been reported in subsequent pregnancies. Our case highlights the importance of keeping this rare entity on the differential in pregnant women presenting with back or hip pain. Presentation: Thursday, June 15, 2023

OA10 Pregnancy-associated osteoporosis - a rare subset of bone disease

OA10 Pregnancy-associated osteoporosis - a rare subset of bone disease

Pregnancy-Associated Osteoporosis: A Literature Review

Pregnancy-Associated Osteoporosis: A Literature Review

Influence of denosumab on bone mineral density in a severe case of pregnancy-associated osteoporosis

Pregnancy and lactation-associated osteoporosis (PLO) with predominantly subsequent vertebral fracture is a rare but severe disease with an estimated incidence of 0.4 in 100,000. In the past, patients with PLO have been predominantly treated with oral and i.v. bisphosphonates to reduce subsequent fracture risk. Hereby, the use of bisphosphonates in premenopausal women is controversial, as bisphosphonates know to persist in bone for many years and can be exposed and circulate in maternal serum and subsequently pass the placenta barrier and may have a detrimental effect on fetal bone health. Here we report the effects of denosumab on the bone mineral density (BMD) and subsequent fracture risk in PLO. In this case presentation, denosumab was administered postpartum with 3000 IE vitamin D and 1000 mg of calcium daily in a patient with PLO and vertebral fracture of L1 and L4. After 18 months of treatment with denosumab, we could demonstrate a clinical significant increase of BMD at the lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total hip of 32.2%, 13.0%, and 11.5% respectively with no further subsequent fractures. As the patient had regular menstrual cycles and considered a further pregnancy, denosumab treatment was terminated and soon a second pregnancy occurred. After the second pregnancy, BMD decreased at the lumbar spine, femur neck, and total hip by −8.8%, −6.9%, and −7.0% respectively compared to the maximum values during treatment with denosumab, but was still significantly higher compared to baseline levels with no further fractures.

"Pregnancy and Lactation Associated Osteoporosis".

Pregnancy-associated osteoporosis (PAO) is a rare condition of skeletal fragility affecting women in pregnancy or the postpartum period. During normal pregnancy and lactation, substantial changes in calcium metabolism and skeletal physiology occur in order to meet the demands of the developing foetus. Whilst these adaptations are reversible and generally of no clinical consequence for the mother, a small number of women will develop osteoporosis and suffer fragility fractures. Vertebral fractures occur most commonly in PAO and are often multiple. Due to the rarity of PAO, systematic study to date has been limited. Aetiology is poorly understood, but traditional osteoporosis risk factors and genetic factors are likely to play a role. A small number of cases may be due to an underlying metabolic bone disorder or monogenic condition. Management of PAO is challenging, due both to a poor evidence base and the fact that spontaneous improvement in BMD is known to occur once pregnancy and lactation are complete. Bisphosphonates, denosumab and teriparatide have all been used in individual patients, but the data supporting their use are currently limited.

Pregnancy-Associated Osteoporosis Presented with Femoral Neck Fracture: A Case Report and Literature Review

Background: Pregnancy-associated osteoporosis (PAO) is a rare condition characterized by reduced bone mineral density during the third trimester or lactation. Multiple risk factors, such as genetic, sedentariness, and 25-hydroxy vitamin D deficiency, are associated with PAO. In the majority of cases, PAO is presented with a compression fracture in vertebras, but in our case, it presented with a fracture of the femoral neck. Case Presentation: A 29-year-old, gravida one woman, developed right hip joint pain during the gestational age 34 weeks who referred to our clinic. Despite conservative management, the pain intensified. The patient delivered a healthy neonate in the 38th week of gestation and afterward underwent magnetic resonance imaging of the pelvic, revealing a bruised bone in the femoral neck. Since she had developed a femoral neck fracture during the postpartum period, she underwent open reduction and fixation of the femoral neck. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) revealed osteoporosis of the vertebras and femoral neck. She received calcium supplements and alendronate, and the pain was relieved. On 2-year and 4-year follow-up, she was found to be osteopenic with significant improvement in DEXA indices. Conclusion: PAO is a rare condition among young women. This condition should be kept in mind when hip joint or back pain is encountered during pregnancy.

Pregnancy-Associated Osteoporosis Presented with Femoral Neck Fracture: A Case Report and Literature Review

Background: Pregnancy-associated osteoporosis (PAO) is a rare condition characterized by reduced bone mineral density during the third trimester or lactation. Multiple risk factors, such as genetic, sedentariness, and 25-hydroxy vitamin D deficiency, are associated with PAO. In the majority of cases, PAO is presented with a compression fracture in vertebras, but in our case, it presented with a fracture of the femoral neck. Case Report: A 29-year-old, gravida one woman, developed right hip joint pain during the gestational age 34 weeks who referred to our clinic. Despite conservative management, the pain intensified. The patient delivered a healthy neonate in the 38th week of gestation and afterward underwent magnetic resonance imaging of the pelvic, revealing a bruised bone in the femoral neck. Since she had developed a femoral neck fracture during the postpartum period, she underwent open reduction and fixation of the femoral neck. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) revealed osteoporosis of the vertebras and femoral neck. She received calcium supplements and alendronate, and the pain was relieved. On 2-year and 4-year follow-up, she was found to be osteopenic with significant improvement in DEXA indices. Conclusion: PAO is a rare condition among young women. This condition should be kept in mind when hip joint or back pain is encountered during pregnancy. [GMJ.2020;9:e1750]

Atypical pregnancy-associated osteoporosis of the patella: a case report

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Jeju National University Hospital, Jeju, South Korea Financial Disclosures: The authors report no conflicts of interest. This work was supported by the 2020 Education, Research, and Student Guidance Grant funded by Jeju National University. Correspondence to Kwang Woo Nam, MD, PhD, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Jeju National University School of Medicine, Aran 13gil 15, Jeju National University Hospital, Jeju, Korea, 63241 Tel: +82-64-717-1690; fax: +82-64-717-2714; e-mail: [email protected].

GEBELİKLE İLİŞKİLİ OSTEOPOROZ: OLGU SUNUMU

Gebelikle ilişkili osteoporoz (GİO), nadir görülen bir premenapozal osteoporoz tipidir. Gebeliğin son üç ayında veya postpartum dönemde görülen şiddetli bel ağrısı, vertebra kırıklarına ikincil boy kısalması ve kifoz semptomları ile karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Bu olgu sunumunda, gebeliğin son üç ayında başlayan ve doğumdan bir hafta sonra şiddetlenen sırt ağrısı ve çoklu vertebral kırığı olan 29 yaşındaki GİO hastası tanımlanmıştır. Son trimesterde başlayan ve doğumdan 1 hafta sonra giderek kötüleşen şiddetli bel ağrısı nedeniyle çekilen bilgisayarlı tomografide T12, L1, L2, L3 ve L5 vertebralarda kompresyon kırıkları saptandı. Kemik mineral yoğunluğu (KMY) ölçümünde; L1-4 için total Z skoru -3.3 ve femur boynu için Z skoru -1.6 olarak bulundu. Hastanın emzirmeyi sonlandırması, D vitamini ve kalsiyum desteği alması, fizik tedavi programına devam etmesi ve kısa süreli olarak korse kullanması önerildi. Anti-rezorptif ajan (alendronat 70 mg/hf) kullanması önerilen hasta, ilerleyen dönemde gebelik beklentisi olması ve bifosfonatların uzun dönem etkilerinin net olmaması nedeniyle bu tedaviye devam etmeyi reddetti. Ağrısı giderek azalan hastanın görsel analog skala değeri 9’dan 2’ye geriledi. Gebe ve loğusa hastalardaki bel ağrısının ayırıcı tanısında GİO göz önünde bulundurulmalıdır. Tanının erken dönemde konulması, önlem almayı ve gerekli tıbbi tedaviyi başlamayı kolaylaştıracaktır.

SAT-LB68 A Rare De Novo Mutation in LRP5 Gene in an Adolescent Female With Juvenile Onset Primary Osteoporosis

Background: Juvenile onset of primary osteoporosis is a rare skeletal disorder with a highly heterogenous clinical presentation and complex poorly understood genetic etiology. Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 (LRP5), a Wnt-β-catenin pathway receptor involved in bone mineral density (BMD) regulation, has been reported in children with primary osteoporosis mainly due to missense and frame-shift mutations. To our knowledge, there is only one report of in-frame deletions in exon 21 possibly being implicated in pregnancy related osteoporosis (1). We report the first case of a rare heterozygous de novo in-frame deletion in exon 21 of LRP5 gene in a girl with juvenile onset primary osteoporosis. Clinical Case: A 7.5 yo previously healthy European-African-American female born to non-consanguineous family, was noted to have left ankle and bilateral wrists fractures during sport activities occurring over the span of 1 y. On exam, she was of normal stature, had normal sclerae and vision, but was found to have hypermobile joints. Initial blood work revealed an elevated iPTH 72 pg/mL (9-59), normal Ca 9.6 mg/dL (8.9-10.4), and low 25OH-Vitamin D 17 ng/mL (30-100), which normalized with supplementation to 30.4 ng/mL. By 10.5 yo, she had sustained multiple sports related and pathologic fractures of long bones with progressive bone pain and functional ambulatory impairment. Radiographic evaluation showed osteopenia, multiple healed long bone fractures with presumed non-ossifying fibroma in the distal right femoral metaphysis, and subtle height loss of T4-5 vertebrae. CT bone densitometry at 12 yo showed low mean cancellous lumbar vertebral BMD of 190 mg/cm3 (ref. 285 ± 45) and normal cortical BMD of the femoral midshaft of 1977 mg/cm3 (ref. 2000 ± 60). Genetic testing for Osteogenesis Imperfecta returned negative for COL1A1 and COL1A2 mutations. Whole exome sequencing (WES) revealed a rare, de novo heterozygous mutation in exon 21 that involved deletion of nucleotides 4454 to 4465 resulting in an in-frame deletion of amino acid 1485 to 1488. This mutation is predicted to be deleterious by in silico analysis. Conclusion: We present the first case of a young female with progressive pathologic fractures, functional ambulatory impairment, and low BMD in childhood, consistent with juvenile onset primary osteoporosis. WES revealed a rare de novo heterozygous in-frame deletion mutation in LRP5, providing a plausible biological mechanism for her clinical presentation, and further contributing to the increasing genetic heterogeneity of juvenile onset primary osteoporosis and LRP5-related bone disorders. Reference: (1) Cook, F., Mumm, S., Whyte, M., Wenkert, D. Pregnancy-associated osteoporosis with a heterozygous deactivating LDL receptor-related protein 5 (LRP5) mutation and a homozygous methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHRF) polymorphism. JBMR. 2014;29 (4): 922-8.

Risk factors, fractures, and management of pregnancy-associated osteoporosis: a retrospective study of 14 Turkish patients

Pregnancy-associated osteoporosis (PAO) is a rare but painful disease. The current study aimed to investigate the demographic and clinical features, risk factors, treatment options, and outcomes of Turkish patients with PAO. In our retrospective, cross-sectional, and descriptive study the time to PAO diagnosis was 3.6 months. Pain and loss of height were detected in 78.6% and 28.6% of patients, respectively. As such, 60.6% of patients reported fractures at the thoracic area, 30.3% at the lumbar area, and 9.1% at the sacral area. While 14.3% of patients had optimal vitamin D status during pregnancy, 64.3% had vitamin D deficiency, and 21.4% had vitamin D insufficiency. Of the patients, 21.4% received anticoagulant therapy during their pregnancy. Dual X-ray absorptiometry scans revealed that osteoporosis was predominantly in the trabecular bone (L1–L4 Z-score –2.9, Femur Z score –2.19). Management options included supplements of calcium with vitamin D (93%), weaning the baby (79%), specific treatments for osteoporosis (64%), use of a supportive corset (50%), and exercise (21%), respectively. In addition, after delivery, 35.7% of patients were administered denosumab, 21.4% bisphosphonate, and 7.1% were given teriparatide. Data of the clinical features, treatments, and outcomes of PAO may contribute to early detection and management.

Fracture management and current concepts related to pregnancy-associated osteoporosis.

Pregnancy-associated osteoporosis is a rare condition characterized by a transient but significant reduction in bone mineral density. To date, the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms remain unclear. Related symptoms include severe back or hip pain secondary to vertebral fractures and/or transient osteoporosis of the hip, which typically occur during the third trimester or during lactation. Although most women are managed conservatively, a few women need surgery. Prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment is important not only for pain control, but also to improve the woman's future quality of life.

Mutational analysis uncovers monogenic bone disorders in women with pregnancy-associated osteoporosis: three novel mutations in LRP5, COL1A1, and COL1A2.

Pregnancy-associated osteoporosis (PAO) is a rare skeletal condition, which is characterized by a reduction in bone mineral density (BMD) in the course of pregnancy and lactation. Typical symptoms include vertebral compression fractures and transient osteoporosis of the hip. Since the etiology is not well understood, this prospective study was conducted in order to elucidate the relevance of pathogenic gene variants for the development of PAO. Seven consecutive cases with the diagnosis of PAO underwent a skeletal assessment (blood tests, DXA, HR-pQCT) and a comprehensive genetic analysis using a custom-designed gene panel. All cases showed a reduced BMD (DXA T-score, lumbar spine - 3.2 ± 1.0; left femur - 2.2 ± 0.5; right femur - 1.9 ± 0.5), while the spine was affected more severely (p < 0.05). The trabecular and cortical thickness was overall reduced in HR-pQCT, while the trabecular number showed no alterations in most cases. The genetic analysis revealed three novel mutations in LRP5, COL1A1, and COL1A2. Our data show that previously unrecognized monogenic bone disorders play an important role in PAO. Pregnancy should be considered a skeletal risk factor, which can promote the initial clinical onset of such skeletal disorders. The underlying increased calcium demand is essential in terms of prophylactic and therapeutic measures, which are especially required in individuals with a genetically determined low bone mass. The implementation of this knowledge in clinical practice can enable the partial recovery of the skeleton. Consistent genetic studies are needed to analyze the frequency of pathogenic variants in women with PAO.

Pregnancy-Associated Osteoporosis: Long-term Follow-up of a Patient with Two Pregnancies

Pregnancy-Associated Osteoporosis: Long-term Follow-up of a Patient with Two Pregnancies

Osteoporosis in premenopausal women.

The scope of this review was to review the newest developments in the context of the existing knowledge on premenopausal bone fragility. Fragility fractures are common in postmenopausal women and men and diagnostic criteria for osteoporosis have been agreed and multiple pharmacological treatments have been developed over the last 25 years. In premenopausal women, fragility fractures and very low bone mass are uncommon and osteoporosis in premenopausal women has therefore attracted much less interest. Recent studies have highlighted that lifestyle and dietary habits affect premenopausal bone mass. Bone mass may be improved by sufficient intake of calcium and vitamin D together with increased physical activity in premenopausal women with idiopathic osteoporosis. If pharmacological treatment is needed, teriparatide has been demonstrated to efficiently increase bone mass; however, no fracture studies and no comparative studies against antiresorptive therapies have been conducted. Pregnancy affects bone turnover and mass significantly, but pregnancy-associated osteoporosis is a rare and heterogeneous condition. The diagnosis of osteoporosis should only be considered in premenopausal women with existing fragility fractures, diseases or treatments known to cause bone loss or fractures. Secondary causes of osteoporosis should be corrected or treated if possible. The women should be recommended sufficient intake of calcium and vitamin and physical activity. In women with recurrent fractures or secondary causes that cannot be eliminated, for example glucocorticoid or cancer treatment, pharmacological intervention with bisphosphonates or teriparatide (not in the case of cancer) may be considered.

Pregnancy-associated osteoporosis: a case-control study.

Pregnancy-associated osteoporosis (PAO) is a rare but severe type of premenopausal osteoporosis. Most common symptom includes acute lower back pain due to vertebral fracture predominantly occurring in the last trimester of pregnancy or immediately postpartum. The exact underlining mechanisms and risk factors of PAO are still unknown, and up to date, there are no published systematic analyses. We identified 102 PAO patients and matched them with 102 healthy controls according to age, region, and gravidity to evaluate risk factors in a large and homogenous population of women. The baseline characteristics and anthropometric data of the two study groups were similar. Eighty-eight percent of the patients with PAO suffered from one or more fractures with a mean of 3.3 fractures per patient. The most common fracture site was the thoracolumbar spine, whereas 29, 37, 48, and 35% of the patients reported fractures at TH11, TH12, L1, and L2, respectively. PAO patients suffered more frequently from excessive dental problems in childhood (p<0.001). The control group performed significantly more frequently sports both before (p<0.002) and after puberty (p<0.01). Compared to the controls, the patients with PAO reported twice as often severe diseases during pregnancy (p<0.029). Hereby, the frequency of immobilization was twice as often in the PAO group compared to that in the control group (p<0.005). Our results indicate that PAO is a heterogeneous, rare but severe disease including a substantial number of fractures with a significant delay from first symptom to diagnose. Increased awareness is warranted to immediately start effective treatment.