Cortical bone loss may contribute to fractures in post-menopausal women

A new study in Journal of Bone and Mineral Research looked at the relative contributions of the two types of bone-cortical, or compact bone, and trabecular, or spongy bone-to total bone loss.

Contrary to the belief that most of the bone loss that occurs during the menopause is trabecular, more than 80 percent of bone loss was cortical. "Therefore, cortical bone loss is likely to contribute to the occurrence of fractures in post-menopausal women," said senior author Prof. Ego Seeman, of the University of Melbourne, in Australia.