Multiparity and bone mass.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the influence of multiparity on bone mass of the axial skeleton in a population of women of high parity.


METHODS
Open study of Omani women.


METHODS
Medical physics department and clinical physiology department of a third degree referral (university) hospital.


METHODS
A consecutive series of 159 normal women referred with low back pain over a period of six months.


RESULTS
The bone mineral density was measured with dual-photon absorptiometry and the mean was found to be 0.984 (+/-0.166) (+/- SD) g cm-2. The age ranged from 20 to 70 years with a mean age of 43.4 (+/- 12.5) years. The number of children per woman ranged from 0 to 14 with a mean of 5.1 (+/- 3.5). There was no statistically significant influence of the number of children per woman on bone mineral density but there was a strong correlation with age and body size variables.


CONCLUSIONS
Multiparity does not influence lumbar spine bone mineral density in normal women.
Bererhi
H
H
Department of Clinical and Biomedical Physics, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman.
Kolhoff
N
N
Constable
A
A
Nielsen
S P
SP
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001824:Body Constitution / Q000502:physiology; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010298:Parity / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D017584:Reproductive History