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Systematic Review

Pregnancy with osteogenesis imperfecta: A scoping review

[version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]
PUBLISHED 01 Aug 2025
Author details Author details
OPEN PEER REVIEW
REVIEWER STATUS AWAITING PEER REVIEW

This article is included in the Manipal Academy of Higher Education gateway.

This article is included in the Rare diseases collection.

Abstract

Purpose

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by genotype and phenotypic heterogeneity. Limited literature is available regarding pregnancy with OI.

Objectives

The objective is to capture the available literature on OI and pregnancy.

Methods

A scoping review methodology was used to record and summarize the existing research evidence. The review process was conducted following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Three databases (Pubmed, Embase, web of science) were searched systematically. Literature published between 1975-2024 was extracted. Original studies mentioning OI with a minimum of 25 pregnancies were included.

Results

546 articles were identified for title and abstracts screening. 28 records were reviewed for full text; seven studies met the inclusion criteria and were included. Reference details, study characteristics, topics of interest, and main findings are presented. The review showed that cesarian delivery was more common. Prolonged breast feeding was a risk factor for the occurrence of maternal fractures after pregnancies. OI pregnancies are at risk of increased neonatal morbidities, and congenital anomalies consistently.

Conclusion

There are significant data gaps in the literature concerning the experience of OI and pregnancy outcomes. This study underscores the crucial need for further research and clarity about maternal and neonatal complications associated with OI pregnancies.

Keywords

Osteogenesis imperfecta, pregnancy, pregnancy complications, fractures

Introduction

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a rare connective tissue disorder characterized by bone fragility and recurrent fractures.1 It is an inherited disease caused by mutations in collagen genes, leading to defective maturation of collagen.2,3 Heterogeneity in genes and clinical heterogeneity are common.4 It is rare, with a prevalence of approximately 1 in 20,000 individuals.5 The common clinical features include bone fragility, short stature, recurrent fracture, deformities of the limbs and spine and skeleton, and extra-skeletal manifestations.1

Pregnancy in OI women is not uncommon.6 Owing to preexisting poor-quality bones, pregnancy can further add to osteoporosis.7,8 Pregnancy with OI significantly impacts pregnancy and childbirth.9,10 Pregnancies with OI encounter unique challenges during the antepartum, intrapartum, and postnatal periods.11 Owing to the rarity of the combination of pregnancy and osteogenesis imperfecta, the available literature is limited.1214

OI is transmitted as either autosomal dominant or autosomal recessive entity4; hence, the likelihood of having an OI fetus is high for OI parents. OI fetuses can be diagnosed antenatally via ultrasound or genetic testing. Pregnancy with OI is considered high risk, as it has the potential for multiple complications, such as increased rates of antepartum hemorrhage, placental abruption, intrauterine growth restriction, and preterm birth.11,15 Many reports suggest delivery routes only by Cesarean for these population.6,11 Owing to spinal and pelvic malformations, anesthesia can be challenging, necessitating careful planning and often the use of spinal anesthesia. High frequencies of low birth weight, neonatal intensive care requirements, high neonatal mortality and high frequencies of neonatal fracture have been reported.16,17

Due to the rare combination of pregnancy and OI, the exact occurrence of antenatal, perinatal and post-natal, neonatal and musculoskeletal issues of these pregnancies are not clear. Hence, we decided to perform a scoping review of pregnancy and related complications in patients with OI.

The aims of the study

The objective of this study was to systematically review the available literature on feto-maternal outcomes in pregnancies with osteogenesis imperfecta, via a scoping review methodology.

Materials and methods

Study design

The study was conducted according to the PRISMA-Scr guidelines, which include research questions; identifying appropriate studies; selecting, extracting, and charting data; and collating, summarizing, the results.18 A study protocol was developed.

Definition of research question: The formulation of search string followed the PCC system

Population – Pregnancies with OI

Concepts – Feto-maternal outcome and delivery

Context – Studies in English language

The protocol was not registered anywhere before.

Search strategies

A systematic literature search was carried out in PubMed, Embase, and web of science database from January 1975 to January 2025. The MeSH words used were “Osteogenesis imperfecta”, “Brittle bone disease” or “dwarfism” and “pregnancy” or “cesarean deliveries” or “obstetrics”. Osteogenesis imperfecta related to humans was used. Two consultants approved the search strategy. The content of interest was antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum outcomes. The topics of interest were antenatal complications, including preeclampsia, diabetes, hemorrhage, pregnancy loss, maternal fractures, mode of delivery, congenital anomalies, and Intrauterine growth restriction/small for gestational age.

Inclusion criteria

All original studies, surveys or case series of with a minimum of 25 pregnancies were included. Only quantitative studies were included. Only studies in the English language were included.

Exclusion criteria

Review articles, conference proceedings, original articles without pregnancies with OI, case series with fewer than 25 pregnancies with OI, expert comments, book chapters, guidelines and qualitative studies were excluded. Studies concerning only genetics, diagnostics, and prenatal diagnosis, other than English languages, were excluded.

Study selection, data extraction, and synthesis

Two reviewers (* and **) independently screened the titles and abstracts to identify potentially eligible articles. The full-text articles were selected and assessed for eligibility by two reviewers to obtain the final study articles. One reviewer (*) studied the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and one reviewer (**) extracted the data from eligible studies. The first reviewer verified the results to ensure the accuracy of the synthesis. A priori data extraction form was used. Any disagreement in the process of study selection and data extraction was resolved by discussion with the other reviewer. An assessment of the methodology quality and bias of the included studies was not performed. The articles included were presented in texts and tables. The data extracted included antepartum complications, medical and obstetrical complications, types of delivery, maternal and fetal outcomes, NICU admission, low APGAR scores, and maternal and fetal fractures.

Results

Search results

The flow chart in Figure 1 depicts the research results and selection of eligible studies. The initial search generated a total of 1434 articles. After removing duplications and non-relevant studies, a total of 546 articles were identified for title and abstracts screening. 28 full-text articles were included for further analysis. Seven of them who met the eligibility criteria were included in the study. The main results of the excluded studies were case reports, series with fewer than twenty-five pregnancies, and original articles that included only OI children without maternal OI. All review articles and conference proceedings were excluded.

8d2046bb-d281-470f-91fc-561d48465b11_figure1.gif

Figure 1. PRISMA flow diagram of the search strategy and selection process.

Primary studies

Table 1 presents the characteristics of the included studies. It depicts the characteristics of primary studies with information on the year of study, author, title of study, country of origin, study time, type of study, and sample size. The included studies were registry databases, original cohort studies, retrospective studies or case series. The diagnosis of osteogenesis imperfecta was made clinically and radiologically, as were the data from the registry of the OI group. All except one study comprised inclusion and exclusion criteria. Including studies stated the limitations of the study. Regarding the country of origin, most studies were from the USA or Europe. The included studies were published after 2000. Studies focused on the characteristics of fractures, musculoskeletal issues during pregnancy, and maternal and fetal outcomes.

Table 1. The characteristics of included studies.

Study year Journal name Author Title Study place Study type Std instruments Inclusion and exclusion criteria Limitation of study Study population women (pregnancy)
2024BoneLykking EKPregnancy complications and birth outcome in patients with osteogenesis imperfecta - A population-based register studyDenmarkRegistry based cohort studyRegistry data baseY/YY134 (301)
2022BoneLykking EKFractures following pregnancy in Osteogenesis imperfecta - A self-controlled case series using Danish Health RegistersDenmarkRegistry, self-controlled case seriesRegistry data baseY/YY111 (205)
2022Orphanet J Rare DisKoumakis EOsteogenesis Imperfecta: characterization of fractures during pregnancy and post-partum FranceRetrospective multicentric cohortChart reviewY/YY50 (83)
2021Am J Ob GyRao RPregnancy in women with osteogenesis imperfecta: pregnancy characteristics, maternal, and neonatal outcomesUSACross sectionalElectronic surveyY/YY132 (168)
2016J PerinatolRuiter-Ligeti JPregnancy outcomes in women with osteogenesis imperfecta: a retrospective cohort studyCanadaRetrospective cohortRegistry data baseY/YYNA (295)
2015J Matern Fetal Neonatal MedYimgang DPPregnancy outcomes in women with osteogenesis imperfectaUSACross sectionalQuestionnaire basedY/YY274 (539)
2002J Obstet GynaecolMcAllion SJMusculo-skeletal problems associated with pregnancy in women with osteogenesis imperfectaUKCross sectionalTelephonic interview-Y100 (213)

Pregnancy characteristics

Table 2 displays the main information of the included studies. The study includes 1096 pregnant women with OI (1804 pregnancies). Table 3 displays the summary of all included studies.

Table 2. Main findings of included studies.

Title and references detailsDesign and methodsMaterial Main results and conclusion
Lykking EK et al.
Pregnancy complications and birth outcome in patients with osteogenesis imperfecta - A population-based register study.
Danish Registry based cohort study
Descriptive epidemiology
Pregnancy complications and birth outcome were studied.
N = 134
Study period: 1997-2018
General population (1,330,617) non-OI pregnancy as reference to
301 OI liveborn singletons
Pregnancies.
Mean age – 29 years (25-31)
Five registries with unique personal identifiers were used as data source
Mean, median and percentage were used as statistical tool.
31% were delivered by CD in OI cohort whereas 19% in non-OI reference cohort. Miscarriage, Pre-eclampsia, antenatal and perinatal haemorrhage, and livebirths were similar in both the groups. Stillborn and congenital malformations were 2% v/s 0.4% and 12% v/s 5% in OI and non-OI reference group.
Conclusion : OI pregnancies carry a risk of very few complications from antenatal period to livebirth journey.
Lykking EK et al.
Fractures following pregnancy in Osteogenesis imperfecta - A self-controlled case series using Danish Health Registers.
Danish National Patient Registry
WHO International Classification of Diseases code for OI was used to obtain data on delivery and mode of fracture.
Self-controlled case series.
N = 205 pregnancies in 111 women with OI
Study period: 1995-2018.
Median Age at pregnancy: 28, 30, 32 for first, second and third pregnancy.
Median BMI was 23.3 kg/m2
Modified Poisson models were the statistics tool.
37% of OI cohort had caesarean delivery. Total 20 fractures were identified, 10 preconception and 10 post conception. Nine fractures were of lower limbs and rest were at other sites. Incidence rate ratio - 1 for fractures in 12 months observation period.
Conclusion: No increased in risk of fractures during and 12 months post-partum when compared to 12 months prior to conception.
Koumakis E et al. Osteogenesis Imperfecta: characterization of fractures during pregnancy and post-partum.Retrospective multicentric OI cohort of France from 10 bone centres.Chart review of OI with pregnancy
N = 50
Study period: 2006-2019
Mean age at pregnancy was 32.7 ± 3.1 years-old in the fractured group, vs 29.3 ± 5.0 years-old in the non-fractured group
BMI: 24.1kg/m2
Mann–Whitney test, and chi-square test as statistical tools.
12 patients experienced fractures during pregnancy or in the 6 months following delivery. The frequent sites of fractures were proximal femur (25%) and spine (25%). Breast feeding and higher age, low bone mineral density was associated with fractures.
Conclusion: Fracture during pregnancy or post-partum was not associated with the severity of OI and modifiable risk factor should be optimally managed including avoidance of breast feeding to prevent fractures in OI women.
Rao R et al.
Pregnancy in women with osteogenesis imperfecta: pregnancy characteristics, maternal, and neonatal outcomes.
Cross sectional
Brittle bone disorder
Consortium Contact Registry as source of information.
N = 132
Study period: 2017 May to January 2018
1600 members in registry, 170 eligible for survey, Survey through online questionnaire
132 responded (77.6% response rate)
BMI-26.7 kg/m2
ANNOVA and chi square test.
Caesarean delivery was found to be 68.5% in OI cohort. Higher rates of diabetes in pregnancy, caesarean section, need for blood transfusion, and antepartum and postpartum fractures were observed. Neonates born to women with osteogenesis imperfecta had higher risk for low birth weights as compared to the general population. Higher rate of neonatal intensive care unit admissions and neonatal mortality at 28 days of life were reported.
Conclusion: Pregnancies with OI are at an increased risk for complications including haemorrhage, fractures, diabetes, and neonatal morbidity.
Ruiter-Ligeti J et al. Pregnancy outcomes in women with osteogenesis imperfecta: a retrospective cohort study.Retrospective cohort
Registry based
US inpatient database was the source.
Study period: 2003-2011
Birth registry cohort of 7,287,994 had 295 OI pregnancies
Unconditional logistic regression was used.
The prevalence was 4/1 00 000 deliveries. 75% of women with OI had Caesarean delivery. Complications like antepartum Haemorrhages (OR 2.01), placenta abruption (OR 2.50) intrauterine growth restriction and small-for-gestational-age infants (OR 2.42) congenital malformation (OR 7.32) and preterm birth (OR 2.24) were higher. Maternal mortality or stress fractures were not significantly different among groups. Venous thrombo- embolism was less but uterine rupture and hospital stay were significantly higher.
Conclusion: Pregnancies with OI has more maternal and foetal complications.
Yimgang DS et al.
Pregnancy outcomes in women with osteogenesis imperfecta.
A cross-sectional study. Self-reported international OI registry data either electronically or writing were used.
Severity of OI type to mode of delivery, pregnancy outcome and medical complications were corelated.
N = 274, Period of gathering data: 2010-2014
1043 women of 20 years and older were consented 435 reported having a child, 274 had self- reporting of OI type and completed questionnaire, 63% response rate.
Chi-square was statistical tools.
The caesarean section reported by 55% of the women. 29% (n = 80) women reported pregnancy complications. There was a significant relationship between the mode of delivery and OI type. Type 3, 4, 5 had C-section between 70-100%. The pregnancy complications were not associated with mode of delivery or number of children.
Conclusions: OI type, pre-natal genetic counselling, and number of children were strong predictors for choosing the mode of delivery. However, they may not predict pregnancy complications. Hence, the complexity of each case would decide pregnancy management.
McAllion SJ et al.
Musculo-skeletal problems and pregnancy in women with osteogenesis imperfecta.
A telephonic interview of 100 OI with 213 pregnancies. Database was used but selection of OI cohort from United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland residents.Study period followed: 1957-1998
First 100 women of 18-50 years, who had child were contacted by telephone
Age: 15 to 42 years.
Mean age at delivery was 25.9 years, Semi-structured interview was obtained.
Chi square test as statistical tool.
OI type 1 had 26.9% caesarean rate. Moderate to severe back pain was more with caesarean delivery. 13.1% had severe backpain related to period of gestations (28 weeks or more). 7 women had height loss, which was not associated with severity of pain. 18 had fracture of one or more bones antenatally or post- natal in their pregnancies. One mortality, 13 spontaneous abortions, and 197 had live births.
Conclusion: No identifiable relation of type of OI to mode of delivery or back pain was reported. Avoidance of long period of breast feeding was suggested to curtail musculoskeletal adverse effect particularly with those who had vertebral fractures.

Table 3. Summary of key findings of included studies.

1Preeclampsia, eclampsia and perinatal haemorrhage are similar between OI pregnancy and reference population.
Caesarean delivery is higher among OI pregnancy (25-75%).
Prevalence of low birth weight, low Apgar score, need for CPAP, birth related fracture is similar in OI pregnancy and reference population.
Pregnancy with OI increase the risk of additional congenital anomalies in the offspring (12% vs 5%) and incidence of still birth (2% vs 0.4%) higher than reference population.
2The fracture rate during pregnancy and 12 months/19 months post-partum in pregnant OI women is not higher than 12 months to 19 months prior to conception. This data was not supported with breast feeding information.
Fracture during pregnancy or post-partum was not associated with the severity of OI.
3Breastfeeding is risk factor among 85.7% of patients in the fractured group, vs 47.1% in the non-fractured group.
4Women with osteogenesis imperfecta have a 10–12% rate of fracture during pregnancy and the postpartum time period and an increased relative risk of fracture compared to the general population.
Pregnancy with osteogenesis imperfecta is at an increased risk for complications including haemorrhage, fractures, diabetes, and increased neonatal morbidity.
Neonates (Child of OI pregnancy) have an increased rate of NICU admission and higher mortality at 28 days of life, regardless of neonatal osteogenesis imperfecta status.
5There is an increased risk of antepartum haemorrhage, placenta abruption, intrauterine growth restriction and small-for-gestational-age infants, congenital malformation and preterm birth with pregnancy with OI.
No differences in rates of stress fracture and maternal death in OI pregnancy with general population.
629% of patients reported pregnancy complications.
Severity of OI, parity and mode of delivery are not associated with increased pregnancy complications in women with OI.
OI type, pre-natal genetic counselling, and number of children were strong predictors for choosing the mode of delivery in women with OI.
7Severe back pain is common after 28 weeks of pregnancies (13%) (might be related to vertebral fracture).
Avoiding prolonged breast feeding is recommended women with OI who have vertebral fractures.

Age at pregnancy: Five studies mentioned the age of the women at pregnancy. The age range mentioned was between 15-42 years.

BMI: BMI was mentioned in 4 studies. It was in the range of 23.4 kg/m2 to 26.7 kg/m2. The mean height mentioned was 153-164 cm.

Severity of OI: Four studies mentioned the severity of OI. A mild phenotype was frequently noted (75–86%), and a moderate and severe OI phenotype is observed in 14–25% of patients.7,8,11,14

Maternal observations

OI pregnancies carry a greater risk of complications from the antenatal period to delivery. Yimgang et al. reported that 29% of maternal complications were associated with the severity of OI and not with the mode of delivery or number of children.14

However, observations vary across studies. Rao noted greater rates of diabetes during pregnancy, hemorrhage, cesarean section, and antepartum and postpartum fractures.11 Similar observations were made by Ruiter-Ligeti et al.,6 who reported increased chances of antepartum hemorrhage, placental abruption, uterine rupture and hospital stay. Lykking revealed similar complications of miscarriage, preeclampsia, and antenatal and perinatal hemorrhage in both the case and control groups.12 Ruiter-Ligeti et al. reported no changes in maternal mortality or stress fractures compared with those in the control group.6 Preeclampsia, premature rupture of membrane (PROM), excessive bleeding, breech presentation, other musculoskeletal issues, bone fractures, bone deformities, and joint dislocation are common complications.14 The Mentioned incidence of various observations is as below:

Antenatal observations

Pregnancy loss was studied in two studies. Termination of pregnancy in the OI cohort was reported to be approximately 18% before 12 weeks, which was similar to the non-OI cohort. 30% of pregnancies were aborted before 22 weeks of gestation, which was 5% greater than that of the reference population.12 Elective abortions were less common in the OI group in comparison to the non-OI group (4% vs. 21%).11 Antepartum hemorrhage was studied in Four studies.6,11,12,14 In 5% of the OI population had early hemorrhage, and 3% had late hemorrhage, which was like the findings in the reference cohort.12 The abruption of placenta was significantly associated with OI, with an odds ratio (OR) of 2 and an antepartum hemorrhage of 1.5 OR.6

Gestational diabetes was not widely studied however, two studies have evaluated GDM incidence. A greater proportion of OI had GDM but was not significantly associated with OI6; a higher GDM (13.3 vs. 7%) was noted in another study.11 Four studies evaluated hypertension during pregnancy. Study by Ruiter-Ligeti et al. and Lykking EK et al. suggested no difference in the incidence of preeclampsia6,12; However, another study reported a higher incidence 18%,14 while another reported 12.8%.11

Intrapartum and post-partum observations

Period of gestation at delivery was studied by four studies. The prevalence of preterm delivery varies between 6-15%.11,12,14 One study reported significant higher prevalence.6 Term delivery/past dates were observed in 84-92% of the patients in the OI group, whereas it was 94% among the reference population.6,11,12 Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) was reported in three studies. Mild PPH was observed which was not different than reference population.6,12 However, the increase in the risk of hemorrhage and need of blood transfusion was 8.3% in OI population vs 1.5% in non-OI population.11 The mode of delivery was well studied (six studies). Cesarian delivery was common, accounting for 25% to 75% of deliveries. A study revealed that the frequency of cesarians was comparable to that of the general population (26%),8 whereas the frequency of cesarians was high (55%) in another study.14 The rate of cesarean delivery was almost 2-fold greater than that of the reference population.12 Elective LSCS was 3-fold greater, and emergency pre-labor and labor LSCSs were like those in the reference population.12 Seventy-five percent of LSCS patients with a history of maternal pelvic fractures or pelvic deformity due to OI need delivery via LSCS.6

Other complications and observations: Blood transfusion and venous thromboembolism were significantly more common.6 Genetic counseling was provided in 45% of the patients.14 Sixteen to 21% of the population used bisphosphonate before pregnancy.7 Mal-presentation and preterm PROM were found to be more common in two studies.6,11 No difference in the incidence of placenta previa or polyhydramnios was found.6 Two cases of uterine rupture were reported after a trial of labor for previous LSCS.6 The length of hospital stay of mothers was significantly greater than that of the reference population.6 One case of maternal mortality was reported in one study.8

Fetal complications

Rao reported a higher frequency of low birth weights (LBW) in neonates born to OI mothers than in the general population (LBW-26% vs. 6.8%) (very LBW-13% vs. 1.5%). A higher rate of neonatal intensive care unit admission of OI neonates (19% vs. 5.6%) and neonatal mortality at 28 days of life, regardless of neonatal OI status (4.8% vs. 0.4%), were noted.11 Ruiter-Ligeti et al. reported a higher frequency of intrauterine growth restriction/small-for-gestational-age infants (2.44-fold increase) and congenital malformation.6 However, Lykking noted that the frequencies of low birth weight, low Apgar score, need for CPAP, and birth-related fracture are similar between OI pregnancies and the control population.12

The true incidence of OI in offspring could not be evaluated. Congenital abnormalities (excluding OI) were more common (12% vs. 6%) in the OI cohort.12 However, a 7-fold increase in the incidence of congenital malformation was noted.6 Forty-eight percent of cases involve OI children, and 5% of cases involve other anomalies.11 Rao evaluated the BF rate at 6 months, which was lower than that reported in the general population (34.8% vs. 54%), but the BF rates at 1 month were not similar.11

Fractures during pregnancy

Five studies evaluated fractures during pregnancy. The frequency of fractures among pregnant OI patients was 10%-25%. The frequency of fracture among pregnant OIs significantly differed from that in the control population. Lykking et al. reported that the frequency of fractures was similar without an increase in the risk of fractures during and 12 months postpartum compared with 12 months prior to conception.12 Koumakis et al. reported that one-quarter of patients experienced fractures during pregnancy (femur, pelvic, rib, ankle, or spine).7 One quarter experienced a fracture within 6 months of delivery (mainly in the proximal femur and spine).

A total of 10% of fractures during pregnancy and 12% of fractures after delivery have been reported.11 The spine and other bones are common sites after delivery. The rate of fracture was significantly greater than that in the general population.11 McAllion reported fractures of the limb and spine during pregnancy (vertebral crush fracture-9, tibia-4, radius-1, ankle-2, finger-1, and rib-1). One post-natal maternal fracture was noted.8 Only one stress fracture has been reported in a large cohort studied by Ruiter-Ligeti et al.6 Breastfeeding, increased age, and low bone mineral density were associated with the frequency of fractures. Breastfeeding was a risk factor for 85.7% of patients in the fractured group and 47.1% in the non-fractured group.7

Other musculoskeletal issues during pregnancy

Back pain during delivery was noted to be similar to that in the normal population.11 Worsening pain during pregnancy and the need for limited activities were noted in 44% of the patients.11 Fifty-eight percent of the OI population had back pain.8 Moderate to severe backache was noted in 13–35% of the patients. Backache was common with high gestational age and with cesarean delivery.

Recurrent sprain of the ankle, hyper extensible knee joint, frozen shoulder and symphysis pubis separation were other musculoskeletal problems.8 A height loss of 1 cm to 11 cm was noted. Spondylolisthesis with severe backache during subsequent pregnancy was observed.8

Discussion

Pregnancy care is challenging for OI. The literature concerning pregnancies with OI and other skeletal dysplasia is limited19; hence, normal obstetricians may lack knowledge and experience in dealing with pregnant women with OI. Women with disability may face many barriers to obstetrics and gynecology care.20 Although exceptional best practice guidelines exist for the prenatal and perinatal evaluation of pregnant women with skeletal dysplasia,21 there are no specific guidelines for referral of skeletal dysplasia pregnancies and on osteogenesis imperfecta pregnancies. Hence, a scoping review addressing pregnant women with OI is performed.

Publication trends

All but one included study was published in the last decade. Very few original articles addressing rare combinations of pregnancy with OI were published earlier. This might be due to the increased number of registries and databases of rare diseases such as OI in recent times.

In all included studies, Pre-pregnancy BMI was similar to BMI in the general population. The height of a woman is considered a pseudo marker of severity. The height indirectly predicts the severity of the disease; a milder form has a near-normal height, and severe OI results in more shortness. Most of the included studies mentioned milder cases of OI.

Antenatal issues

There are no uniform observations of increased antenatal and perinatal complications in OI pregnant women. This might be due to differences in demographic characteristics. A few studies compared OI groups with non-OI groups, and a few studies evaluated only the OI registry and databases. Many complications were not clearly studied or mentioned in the included cohort. For example, spontaneous miscarriage was not clearly mentioned in a study of late pregnancy registrations.6

Few etiological factors for abortions, such as the rates of exposure to teratogenic drugs, smoking and bisphosphonate, were similar between the OI group and the reference non-OI group. Hence, the rate of abortion might be related to OI pathogenicity. Similarly, higher frequency of preterm labor was also noted. The possible causes of higher frequencies of preterm labor are the abruption of the placenta, antepartum hemorrhage, growth restrictions and preterm prolabor rupture of membranes.

A higher marginal incidence of pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes was associated with OI. The causes of these observations were unknown. OI-related cardio-respiratory problems were not mentioned in any of the studies.

Collagen is an important component of the extracellular matrix; hence, it plays a key role in the structural integrity and function of the uterus and cervix. Defective collagen can lead to improper wound healing following cesarean deliveries leading to higher chances of uterine rupture in subsequent deliveries. Collagen defects in OI can impair vascular integrity and intrinsic platelet defects resulting in greater incidence of antepartum hemorrhage and PPH.

Fetal growth restriction is also common. It is related to the severity of maternal and fetal OI.17 Multifactorial intrauterine fractures have also been shown to play a role in etiogenesis.6 None of the included studies evaluated the exact frequency of prenatal diagnosis.

Perinatal issues, including type of delivery

A greater rate of cesarean delivery in the OI population is a consistent finding in most studies. Pelvic deformities leading to CPD, abnormal fetal presentation, fear of maternal pelvic fracture during delivery, and fetal OI detection are contributing variables for higher LSCS in the OI population.16,17 Most of the time, the decision of an obstetrician is to choose LSCS in fear of fetal trauma when an intrauterine diagnosis of OI is made. Anesthetic management (general and spinal) of these deliveries is challenging due to spine and pelvic deformities and intubation difficulties due to the short neck, prominent mandible and occipital projection.22

Neonatal complications

Neonatal OI and other congenital anomalies are more common among OI pregnant women. The increased incidence of neonatal OI might be related to autosomal dominant and autosomal recessive inheritance. The reason for the higher risk of congenital anomalies other than those in reference populations is unknown.12

Neonates requiring NICU admission and CPAP therapy were more common in the OI cohort, which may be due to the greater number of affected children with OI. In children with OI, the birth fracture rate is similar irrespective of the type of delivery (vaginal/cesarean delivery).16,17 Hence, it was recommended that cesareans be performed only for other fetal or maternal indications but not for the objectives of fracture prevention in OI neonates.16,17

The milder form of OI might not affect neonatal outcomes; however, severe and lethal varieties of OI could increase the frequency of neonatal complications, including high neonatal mortality. Higher associated cardiac anomalies might affect hospital stay and neonatal complications.

Higher rates of cesarean delivery in the OI group may increase the number of respiratory complications requiring a longer hospital stay. Vertebra collapse and pneumonia in the neonatal period might also compromise respiratory function, leading to prolonged NICU admission.

Musculoskeletal issues

Low BMD is found in most patients with OI.7 The effect of low BMD increases the risk of fracture at any age. During pregnancy, due to calcium transfer to the fetus (mainly in third trimester), further depletion of BMD occurs. Preconception bisphosphonate is recommended to reduce the fracture rate among this population.6 However, there is no consensus regarding the use of bisphosphonate in reproductive-aged women due to possible adverse effects on the baby.23 Bisphosphonate should be stopped soon after pregnancy is detected to avoid adverse effects on the fetus.24 The third trimester of pregnancy and the 2-month postpartum period are the most crucial factors for the occurrence of fracture in this population.7

Breastfeeding reduces maternal calcium even more, leading to bone loss of nearly 10%. Hence, women with OI or osteoporosis during pregnancy are often advised to refrain from breastfeeding. Breastfeeding, increased age, and low bone mineral density are constant risk factors associated with a high frequency of fractures.7 However, the exact causal effect of these variables has not been studied until now.

Many reported high prevalence of backaches during pregnancy, whereas others reported no change in backache.11 McAllion reported height loss during pregnancy (1–11 cm) indirectly.8

Strengths

This is the first scoping review of a unique combination of pregnancy and OI. This is the only study that combined a description of antenatal, perinatal, and postnatal musculoskeletal complications in pregnant women with OI. An attempt was made to extract all available data on pregnancy and related complications. This study could be useful for formulating obstetric and orthopedics specific recommendations to pregnant women with OI.

Limitations

Due to the rare combination of pregnancy and OI, very few articles are included in the scoping review. Only English language articles were included. All included studies were either from North America or Europe; hence, the global perspective might be missing from this scoping review. The frequency of complications and the conclusions of various studies contradict those of other studies. The characteristics of the complications are different. Hence, we cannot recommend any guidelines on the basis of this scoping review. Critical appraisal of the included articles was not done. This review includes articles published over 50 years, and the practice of obstetrics as well as advances in technology might affect the final maternal and fetal outcomes. Further research, including large-scale, prospective studies, is needed to provide a greater level of evidence.

Implications and future directions

This study provides baseline information on the types and occurrence of maternal, fetal and musculoskeletal complications among women with OI. Multicenter studies including registries of every woman with OI should be started to estimate the exact frequency of maternal and fetal complications. Data specific to obstacles and complications related to obstetrics should be collected to form formal guidelines specific to OI pregnancies.

Conclusion

The frequency of pregnancy and fracture-related complications varies among women with osteogenesis imperfecta. Significant data gaps describe the limited experience of OI in pregnancy and its different outcomes. This study underscores the crucial need for further research and clarity about maternal and neonatal complications associated with OI pregnancies.

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Shah K, Sheth K, Shah D and Shah H. Pregnancy with osteogenesis imperfecta: A scoping review [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]. F1000Research 2025, 14:753 (https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.165960.1)
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Open Peer Review

Current Reviewer Status:
AWAITING PEER REVIEW
AWAITING PEER REVIEW
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Key to Reviewer Statuses VIEW
ApprovedThe paper is scientifically sound in its current form and only minor, if any, improvements are suggested
Approved with reservations A number of small changes, sometimes more significant revisions are required to address specific details and improve the papers academic merit.
Not approvedFundamental flaws in the paper seriously undermine the findings and conclusions

Comments on this article Comments (0)

Version 1
VERSION 1 PUBLISHED 01 Aug 2025
Comment
Alongside their report, reviewers assign a status to the article:
Approved - the paper is scientifically sound in its current form and only minor, if any, improvements are suggested
Approved with reservations - A number of small changes, sometimes more significant revisions are required to address specific details and improve the papers academic merit.
Not approved - fundamental flaws in the paper seriously undermine the findings and conclusions
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