Unilateral Atraumatic Femoral Neck Fracture in the Peripartum Period: Case Report and Literature Review

Transient osteoporosis of the hip (TOH) refers to a temporary, focal reduction in bone mineral density that selectively affects bones in weight-bearing joints of young pregnant females. Due to inherent difficulties in diagnosing this pathology, it is difficult to estimate the incidence and it is conceivable that TOH is vastly underreported. In a rare subset of patients, TOH may progress to pathological fractures. We report a case of a 38-year-old pregnant woman who developed an atraumatic, displaced femoral neck fracture during her last trimester. Diagnosis and adequate management of TOH represents a clinical challenge as symptoms that precede the fracture are often non-specific, while the timing of the surgical treatment (i.e. before or after delivery) is debatable.