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Celiac (Sprue) Disease Community
This patient support community is for discussions relating to Celiac (Sprue) disease, anemia, behavioral changes and neurological issues, bones and osteoporosis, dental issues, diet and nutrition, infertility, gastrointestinal issues, gluten-free recipes, growth issues, infants and children with Celiac, pain management, and skin and dermatology issues.
Did I have a miscarriage due to my Celiac Disease?
by cooly82, Jun 27, 2008 06:58AM
Where do I start... I am only 25 years old, but I feel like I am falling apart these past few years. I was diagnosed with Celiac disease after having some serious issues about 5 months ago. My periods aren't usually totally off track, but sometimes, I will have extra periods. This past month I got my period as normal. After my period was over I had noticed a discharge on my bra, well I thought I was having issues maybe due to stress, but then I got my period again about two weeks later. This time it was very heavy and very painful. Once it finally stopped this past weekend I noticed I was starting to develop serious back pains and my abdomen was swollen. I ended up in the ER this past Wednesday night and they said I have Pelvic Inflamatory disease. From what I have read about PID its only from stds, abortions, miscarriages, dirty sexual contact or eptopic pregnancies. I knew I did not have stds, which they tested for and the results were negative. They gave me a pregnancy test and it came back negative. Is it possible that I had a miscarriage? Oh my god... what should I do now? I don't even have children yet, but I would like to have a couple of kids some day..... any advise is appreciated!
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Celiac Disease and Pregnancy
Researchers have also studied the effect of the gluten-free diet in pregnant women with celiac disease, in order to determine any impact on the developing fetus and the pregnancy outcome. In a study of 25 patients and 60 pregnancies researchers found that 21% of women who were not on the gluten-free diet experienced pregnancy loss, and 16% of women experienced fetal growth restriction. Researchers also remarked, however, that successful pregnancies occurred before and after diagnoses for many women in the study.
In a large Danish study with 211 infants and 127 mothers with celiac disease, researchers found that the mean birth weight of children born to mothers on a gluten-containing diet was significantly lower than babies born to mothers without celiac disease. Interestingly, this same study determined that women on the gluten-free diet gave birth to children weighing more than those born to mothers without celiac disease!
In a case-control study that looked at the effect of the gluten-free diet on pregnancy and lactation, investigators learned that women with celiac disease who were not on the gluten-free diet experienced pregnancy loss at a rate of 17.8%, compared to 2.4% of women with celiac disease who were on the gluten-free diet. These researchers found that there was no difference in the occurrence of pregnancy and fertility problems in women with sub-clinical (positive blood test, negative biopsy) or clinical disease (positive blood test, positive biopsy).
Finally, in a group of women with celiac disease who had been pregnant more than once, researchers looked at the effect of the gluten-free diet on their future pregnancies. They concluded that the institution of the gluten-free diet upon diagnosis caused a relative 35.6% drop in pregnancy loss, 29.4% drop in low-birth weight babies and an increase of two and a half months of breastfeeding.
While the malabsorption of nutrients is not the only cause of fertility and pregnancy-related problems for women with celiac disease, the gluten-free diet is essential to improving the health of women and their babies.