Giving Birth May Permanently Alter a Mother's Bones

[lipi]

Motherhood can create changes in the body down to the bone, a new study shows.

Female primates who had been pregnant showed lower levels of calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous in their bones, revealing for the first time new ways that females are changed by pregnancy and breastfeeding, according to a study published by PLOS One this week.

[Rose]

@lipi The study evaluated the bones of rhesus macaques, also known as rhesus monkeys, which share 93% of genes with humans, according to the National Primate Research Centers. They have been used in research that paved the way for many medical breakthroughs such as treatments for HIV/AIDS; they're also used in Alzheimer's research.

Menopause has long been known to impact bone health, which is tied to calcium and phosphorous levels. This latest research does not address how bone health is affected by pregnancy and lactation, but further points to the ever-changing state of bones based on life events.