Pregnancy-Associated Osteoporosis: A Literature Review

AbstractPregnancy-associated osteoporosis (PAO) is a rare pathology affecting women in pregnancy or the postpartum period. During normal pregnancy and lactation, there are substantial physiological changes in the woman ’s skeletal structure as well as calcium homeostasis to meet demands of the developing fetus. While these adaptations and generally of no clinical consequence for the mother, and subsequently resolve postpartum, a small number of women will develop osteoporosis and suffer from non-traumatic fragil ity fractures. Due to the rarity of PAO, systematic study to date has been limited. Etiology is poorly understood, but endocrine effects, nutrient deficiency, genetic predisposition, biomechanical factors, and medication exposures are likely to play a role. Management of PAO is not well understood, due both to a poor evidence base and the rarity of the condition. However, traditional osteoporosis drugs such as bisphosphonates, denosumab, and teriparatide have all been reported in literature. Early diagnosis and treatment of these patients are especially important in the prevention of reoccurre nce fractures and to improve the quality of life for these patients.
Source: Clinical Reviews in Bone and Mineral Metabolism - Category: Internal Medicine Source Type: research