Pregnancy could change women’s bones forever

Pregnancy is synonymous with hormonal and bodily upheavals for the future mother, and can in particular permanently modify her bone density. A new study, published in PLOS One and relayed by ScienceAlert, attests to changes in bone structure observed in primates.

Seven deceased rhesus macaques including four females were thus studied. And the researchers were able to observe a modification of the bones of the femur due to pregnancy and lactation. Similarly, a decreased content of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium has also been noted.

What about changes in humans?

As the study’s research team points out, “the observed mutations in calcium and phosphorus density are related to childbirth, while the decrease in magnesium content coincides with breastfeeding.” So, what about the modifications on the woman? These results would make it possible to analyze more precisely the changes in the human body due to pregnancy.

This study therefore confirms the loss of bone mass of the future mother during pregnancy. Indeed, the mother transfers bone calcium to the fetus if the latter lacks it, which modifies the composition, mass and density of its skeleton. Note also that this density is not the only fact of pregnancy, but naturally decreases with age, in particular. These conclusions thus shake up forensic medicine and archeology, sciences which studied the woman’s pelvis to find out if she had given birth.