Stress fractures of the femur in pregnancy - review

  • Agnieszka Koberling Independent Public Health Care Institution named after doctor Kazimierz Hołoga, Nowy Tomyśl
  • Katarzyna Kopcik Virgin Mary Provincial Specialist Hospital in Częstochowa; Professor Zbigniew Religa Student Scientific Association at the Department of Biophysic
  • Jan Koper Virgin Mary Provincial Specialist Hospital in Częstochowa
  • Łukasz Koberling Division of Gynecological Surgery, Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Gynecological Oncology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland

Abstract

Introduction


Stress fractures are caused by an unbalanced process of bone formation and resorption. Femur fractures in pregnancy in most cases occur at the femoral neck, most commonly in the third trimester. Diagnostic process of fractures in pregnancy should be limited to methods which do not use ionizing radiation.


 


Aim


The main aim of the paper is to present the problem of femur fractures in pregnant women and to summarize it on the basis of the available literature.


 


Material and methods


For the purpose of this review, research of the PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar and NCBI databases for articles raising the topic of femoral fractures in pregnancy was conducted. We used keywords “femur fracture pregnancy”, “stress fracture pregnancy” and “fatigue fracture pregnancy". Main criterium of including the publications to the paper was if they are describing the subject of femoral fractures in pregnancy or postpartum period.


 


Summary


Fatigue fractures in pregnancy and postpartum are typically located in the vertebral column, although in literature one can find cases of femoral fractures. In most cases location is femoral neck. Symptoms include hip area pain and mobility difficulties. Fractures may be connected with pregnancy associated osteoporosis or transient osteoporosis of the hip. Treatment is based on surgical methods, preferably after delivery. Physicians need to be aware of the possibility of femoral fracture appearance in pregnancy. Individual approach to every patient with lumbar or hip area pain is necessary.

Published
2025-07-02
How to Cite
KOBERLING, Agnieszka et al. Stress fractures of the femur in pregnancy - review. Polish Journal of Applied Sciences, [S.l.], v. 10, n. 1, p. 15 - 20, july 2025. ISSN 2451-1544. Available at: <https://pjas.ansl.edu.pl/index.php/pjas/article/view/235>. Date accessed: 09 july 2025. doi: https://doi.org/10.34668/PJAS.2025.10.1.03.
Section
Public Health