Pregnancy and Lactation Affect Markers of Calcium and Bone Metabolism Differently in Adolescent and Adult Women with Low Calcium Intakes

Physiologic adaptation to the high calcium demand during pregnancy and lactation may be different in adolescents than in adults, particularly at low calcium intake. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to compare biochemical markers of calcium and bone metabolism between adolescent (14-19 y) and adult (21-35 y) women with calcium intake approximately 500 mg/d, in three different physiologic states, i.e., control (nonpregnant, nonlactating; NPNL), pregnant and lactating. Markers of calcium metabolism [serum Ca, P and intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH); urinary Ca and P] and of bone turnover [urinary deoxypyridinoline (D-Pyr) and plasma bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP)] were measured in NPNL (adolescents, n = 12 and adults, n = 25), pregnant (adolescents, n = 30 and adults, n = 36) and lactating (adolescents, n = 19 and adults, n = 26) women. In the NPNL women, iPTH, D-Pyr and BAP were higher (P < 0.001) and urinary Ca was lower (P < 0.001) in adolescents than in adults. Serum iPTH was higher (P < 0.001) and urinary Ca was lower (P < 0.01) in adolescents than in adults also in pregnancy and lactation. Compared with NPNL women, serum Ca decreased (P < 0.001) with pregnancy in adolescents but not in adults. The increase in D-Pyr with pregnancy and lactation was very pronounced in adults ( approximately 130%, P < 0.001) but less in adolescents (<25%, P < 0.01). BAP increased (P < 0.001) with pregnancy and lactation in adults ( approximately 60%) but decreased (P < 0.001) with pregnancy in adolescents ( approximately 13%). Pregnancy and lactation appear to affect bone turnover in adolescent and adult women with low calcium intake differently.