Effect of induced uterine retroversion on bone mass in rats

Objective: To evaluate the effect of surgical uterine retroversion on bone mass in rats. Study Design: Forty-five female Wistar rats were assigned ran domly to three groups: 15 unmanipulated rats, 15 rats that underwent uterin e retroversion, and 15 rats that underwent sham uterine retroversion (expos ure of the uterus to air followed by closure of the abdominal cavity). Sixt y days later the rats were killed and their femurs were dissected. Femurs w ere weighed and measured, and femoral bone mineral content (BMC) and bone m ineral density (BMD) were determined by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. R esults: In the group of rats that underwent uterine retroversion, BMC, BMD, and BMC corrected for final body weight were significantly lower (P<0.001) than in the unmanipulated control and sham uterine retroversion groups. Co nclusion: Our findings indicate that uterine retroversion induced a loss of bone mass. We could not determine the mechanism of bone loss; in our opini on, these problem merits further investigations, which currently occupy our interest. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.