Pregnancy Associated Osteoporosis Leading to Vertebral Compression Fracture

Abstract

To describe a patient with low back pain developed in the postpartum period and diagnosed as having vertebral compression fracture due to pregnancy and lactation associated osteoporosis. A 28-year old woman presented with complaints of low back pain started two months after her first delivery. Laboratory tests including bone mineral density (BMD), biochemical evaluation and lomber spinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was evaluated. Lomber spine BMD was extremely decreased: L2-4: 0,685 g/cm2, T-score -3.9, Z-score -3.9. MRI revealed a compression fracture of T12 vertebra. The patient was investigated in terms of all possible risk factors and hormonal pathology causing osteoporosis and no abnormality was found. So she was diagnosed as having pregnancy and associated osteoporosis. Cease of the lactation and the treatment with teriparatide were recommended to the patient but she refused both of them. Clinicians should take into account of pregnancy and lactation associated osteoporosis, when evaluating patients with low back pain in early postpartum period.

Keywords

• Pregnancy
• lactation
• osteoporosis