Role of gestational age and intrauterine growth on bone mass in adolescents: findings from a Brazilian Birth Cohort Study.

Summary: Did you know that weak bones in adults can start before they are even born? Scientists in Brazil studied teens who were born early or very small. They checked the teens' bones when they were 15 years old. They found that girls who were born early had weaker hip bones than girls born on time. This means that being born early or too small can hurt bone strength later in life. Taking care of babies' bones might help stop weak bones when they grow up.