Quantitative ultrasound at the hand phalanges in pregnancy: a longitudinal study.

In the prospective study, 48 females in normal pregnancy were evaluated to determine if the presence of disturbances of maternal bone and mineral status is related to fetal and newborn growth. The aim of the study was to estimate mean and individual changes in maternal skeletal and laboratory variables during pregnancy and their correlations with fetal and newborn sizes. Maternal bone and mineral status was assessed in first, second and third trimester by quantitative ultrasound (US), or QUS, at the hand phalanges (Ad-SoS [m/s]) performed by DBM Sonic 1200 (IGEA, Carpi, Italy) and laboratory investigations were collected (serum total calcium, total alkaline phosphatase and phosphate).