Decreased bone mineral status in lactating adolescent mothers

To determine the calcium and bone mineral status of lactating adolescents, we compared 12 lactating adolescents with 11 nonlactating adolescents, 11 lactating adults, and 11 nulliparous adolescent control subjects. At two and 16 weeks, there were no differences in maternal serum concentrations of calcium, phoshorus, alkaline phosphatase, or calcidiol (25-hydroxyvitamin D). The bone mineral content at two weeks among the four groups was not different, but at 16 weeks the lactating adolescents' bone mineral content was lower than that in the other groups. The lactating adolescents' bone mineral content was decreased between two and 16 weeks (1.049±0.088 vs 0.887±0.054 gm/cm; P