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The mechanisms by which untreated celiac disease could affect fertility are not well understood, but there are many reasonable theories.

Fertility

Studies show that women with celiac disease are not more predisposed to fertility problems than women in the general population. The only exceptions were the women diagnosed with celiac disease between the ages of 25 and 29. In this group, fertility problems were 41% higher than those of women in the same group who did not have celiac disease.

Studies show that most women with celiac disease who have a gluten-free diet do not appear to have a higher risk of infertility than women without celiac disease.

There are several theories that untreated or undiagnosed celiac disease affects fertility:

  • If you have celiac disease and do not follow a gluten-free diet, you may be deficient in folic acid, iron, zinc, and selenium. This is because you do not absorb these nutrients from food due to damage to the lining of the intestine. These nutrients are essential for a healthy reproductive life.
  • There is a chronic systemic inflammatory process that affects reproduction on many levels. Inflammation can theoretically affect the quality of the eggs or the ability of the endometrium to allow the implantation of an egg.
  • Celiac antibodies produced in untreated celiac disease can have a negative influence in the early stages of pregnancy.
  • Women with celiac disease may be fertile for a shorter period of time because the menstruation occurs later, and the menopause sets in earlier. It may be due to impaired hormone levels or because women with undiagnosed celiac disease may have a lower body mass index.

Complications of pregnancy and childbirth

Women diagnosed with celiac disease who have a gluten-free diet do not have an increased risk of pregnancy or childbirth complications compared to women without celiac disease.

In the case of women with undiagnosed or untreated celiac disease, there is a very low risk of having a premature birth and a low birth weight.

Congenital anomalies

Congenital abnormalities, also known as birth defects, can occur during the baby’s development in the uterus. Studies show that there is no significantly increased risk of birth defects in children born by women diagnosed with celiac disease compared to women without celiac disease.

It is recommended that women suffering from unexplained infertility or repeated miscarriages be tested for celiac disease, even if there are no other symptoms. If you are diagnosed with celiac disease, the treatment is a gluten-free diet for life.

If you want to find out about headache, check out our article on this topic: Is there a connection between headache and celiac disease?

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