Assessment of Bone Mineral Density During Pregnancy

Changes in Bone Mineral Density as Measured by Calcaneal Quantitative Ultrasound in Third Trimester of Pregnancy

BMD at peripheral sites typically heel is measured by Ultrasound densitometry at Ain Shams Maternity hospital.

Consecutive patients with singleton pregnancies between 36 and 39 weeks booked at a general obstetric clinic in a regional hospital will be recruited for the study. The obstetric department is a tertiary referral center in the region and part of a university teaching unit which catered to an annual delivery of around 10,000 women. A group of first trimester pregnant women with nearly the same age is recruited as controls.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. females during 3rd trimister

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Secondary causes of bone loss such as hyperparathyroidism.
2. Co-morbidities that would interfere with bone metabolism as clinically significant liver or renal disease.
3. Physical or orthopedic disabilities that would place the subject at risk or limit their ability to perform US.
4. Taking medication known to affect bone including steroid hormones.

Histories of smoking and use of oral contraceptives (OCs) are not exclusion criteria.