Impact of lactational performance on bone mineral density in marginally-nourished Bangladeshi women
Chowdhury, S.; Sarkar, N.R.; Roy, S.K.
Journal of Health Population and Nutrition 20(1): 26-30
2002
ISSN/ISBN: 1606-0997 PMID: 12022155 DOI: 10.2307/23498720Document Number: 243677
This cross-sectional study, carried out during July 1997-June 1998, evaluated the effects of prolonged breast feeding and lactational amenorrhoea on bone mineral density (BMD) in 400 marginally-nourished Bangladeshi women aged 20-81 years who attended the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Outpatient Department at private clinics and the Institute of Post Graduate Medicine and Research in Dhaka, Bangladesh. A bone densitometer was used for measuring BMD in the distal and ultra-distal end of radius and ulna. The results showed that women who breastfed for 60 months or less had a higher mean BMD compared to those who breastfed for 61-120 months and for over 120 months. There was a significantly higher BMD in women who had a shorter duration of lactational amenorrhoea compared to those having a longer duration of lactational amenorrhoea. BMD was significantly and negatively correlated with total duration of lactational amenorrhoea (slope -0.024, P<0.05) after controlling for parity, physical workload and total duration of breast feeding. It is concluded that there is a negative correlation between longer duration of breast feeding and BMD, but it is not observed when other factors are controlled in multivariate analysis. The duration of lactational amenorrhoea, which is a proxy indicator of breast feeding, shows a negative correlation with BMD. It is recommended that all lactating women be given diets with adequate calcium to support breast feeding for the proper maintenance of their bones.