Infertility and Celiac Disease

Be sure to see the Fertility, Pregnancy, Miscarriage and Celiac Disease section in the Celiac Disease Research: Associated Diseases and Disorders category.

Hey, I don't know much about the links between celiac and infertility, I know that I am not as fertile as regular women, although I have not had the testing done, but my Dr. did tell me that I have a way less chance to conceive. My friends at work who are both infertile, found Clomed, I think that is how it is spelled, Anyhow you can buy it on the net, and it helps women who don't ovulate and who are infertile to conceive, I have not tried it myself since I am only 23 and not ready for a family, try looking at web md, there are alot of forums out there for women who are trying to conceive, and a lot of good advice, and methods to use...Sorry I couldn't be of more help. Good Luck.

Try Vitamin D, D3, K2 and K. I too was on your path to over turn this infertility myth. I am now 25 weeks with twins. Good Luck!

Check out a Homeopathic/Nutritional Supplement alternative. Nutritional Supplements help target the root cause of the infertility ...help ovulation etc.

Hi..I was told the same thing from a few doctor's including Mayo Clinic. But they pointed out that since I haven't tried to have kids yet nothing was certain. Since I have endometrosis also, I think I'm not going to have kids at all now. That's okay because I could always adopt! Good luck and hang in there! -Holly

Make a visit to a fertility specialist to have testing performed for your progesterone, estrogen, etc hormonal levels. These indicators will give you a more valid sense of your ability to get pregnant. The point of fertility as it relates to celiac disease is really more indirect in that celiac disease results in malnourishment. That is, if celiac disease is not being treated or if celiac disease is undiagnosed. As we all know, the effects of celiac disease are reversible (with some exceptions, such as when celiac disease triggers secondary medical conditions) through maintaining a gluten-free diet. I wonder if the doctor who told you that you will not be able to get pregnant is a gastroenterologist? A fertility expert? A general intern? The type of specialty will certainly drive the perspective from which your Dr speaks, so you are right to look for more information. Are you malnourished? A regular physical exam with your general Dr can indicate if you are deficient in many vitamins and minerals. These can be considered as indirect indicators of nutritional deficiencies. To answer your specific question, I don't off hand know of specific medical references for the link between fertility and celiac disease, but you can certainly search Medline (www.pubmed.gov) and type in the key words 'infertility' and 'celiac' to perform your own search of the primary research journals. Best wishes to you.

I have celiac disease and was successful in bearing a child. I did conceive two times with the first dying one week to due date. It is not known if that is linked to the disease. My son is now 23 years old and his sister would have been 27. So to link celiac and infertility...I can say I support that connection. By the way, my son does not have celiac disease or any brain disorder. He is very intelligent and well rounded.

If you are missing iodine in your diet this could cause hormonal problems. Get your ob/gyn to test your hormone levels and stay gluten free.

Hi Courtney!

Sure do appreciate your frustration, hope this will help. It's not only low iodine, but an underlying thyroid insufficiency which contributes to the difficulty getting pregnant and miscarrying that many women experience prior to their diagnosis.

Also if you're trying to get pregnant, I suggest look into starting folic acid supplements right now, since spina bifida and other neural tube defects are higher in women with gluten intolerance, whose folic acid absorption is greatly reduced for up to several years due to long term gut healing after going gluten free.

All the best with your quest for a baby!

Georgina

I'm extremely sensitive to MSG and free glutamate and I've noticed that the list of foods to avoid is much the same as for celiac disease/gluten intolerance. A lot of the symptoms are the same, too. I'm not saying that you don't have celiac disease, just that glutamates can also cause many health problems, too, and most people aren't aware of the many ways glutamate is hidden in food. Good luck to you.

I understand pefectally - I was not diagnosed until 2001, age 62 - now my earlier years make sense - I had baby #1 - then I had a serious breakout of Dermatitis Herpetiformis - blisters the size of English peas - could not get pregnant - finally 5 years later my Dermatitis Herpetiformis subsided - amazing I got pregnant with baby #2 and 18 months later baby #3. So I would say from experience, it takes a while for our bodies to heal after serious outbreaks of Celiac Disease/Dermatitis Herpetiformis - give yourself time and I am sure you will have that beautiful baby you are praying for. Have faith - relax and it will happen - when all else fails, stand on your head - a friend told me that as a joke, but I even did that - I was desperate for that second baby - good luck and God bless you.

My sympathy. Three miscarriages, one still birth at 5 months and one live birth. Plus thyroid disease and a host of other issues. Not diagnosed until 14 years later when my one beautiful daughter was diagnosed. Find an ob-gyn familiar with the disease. As well as a pediatrician that knows about Celiac. My daughter suffered for years. I am furious for you that anyone would tell you it is a done deal that you will 'never conceive.'

I would be looking for a more up to date Doctor. I was married 5 years before my 1st baby, nothing wrong with her. My 2nd one had all sorts of odd ball problems, but I had a wise baby MD. All in all 11 babies, 5 living. I have a congenial heart defect. But that didn't stop the babies from coming. I am recently diagnosed with sprue but I think I have had it all of my life, possibly born with it.

I'm actually looking for information about celiac and infertility. I'm gluten-free and have been for ten years. I have been through 9 cycles with a fertility clinic using both Clomid and Bravelle with no results. I have no advice, as I'm looking for some for myself. I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone. All we can do is keep trying. Good Luck!

Go and get tested. I'm currently going to a fertility treatment to find out why I can't get pregnant. I had several fibroids and then a myomectomy two years ago. I was diagnosed with celiac in 2000. I have what I called unidentified inability to conceive. I just hope the infertility specialist can tell me why. Go to the fertility specialist because if you don't go...you'll never know.

I was diagnosed with celiac disease when I was 24--we have tried 4 years to get pregnant. I have had a molar pregnancy 4 years ago and have not gotten pregnant since. Do I think I can bear children--no. I have totally given up on something that was really important to me. Only thing you can do is save your money and hope something works. Fertility is not cheap.

Please don't give up...all of you! I too had problems conceiving. I am just now wondering if I have celiac disease, have not been tested yet, but have a lot of the symptoms of the disease. I do have twins (thru IVF and a surrogate). Even though I could not get pregnant, at least I do have my babies! Please see an infertility specialist. Don't give up on your dream!! When there's a will, there's a way. Good luck to all you mommies-to-be!

I was married in Feb 08 and got pregnant in April 08 lost my pregnancy at week 5 1/2. Found out then that I had a thyroid problem. Found out March 09 that I had celiac disease. I have not been able to get pregnant again. I have already done IUI one time with no success. Since I have only been diagnosed with Celiac since March I am hoping my body heals itself and I can get pregnant. There is nothing more that I want then to be a Mom. I was told to take B complex vitamins. I also take Prenatals and vitamins. Good luck to everyone.

I was diagnosed with Endometriosis when I was 17 and married at 19, I am now 28 and divorced for 3 years, I was told that I would never fall pregnant, and that my left ovary did not work as it should and only the right was working. I tired IUI when I was 23 I think and had no success, I split up with my husband after 6 years and then was diagnosed with Celiac Disease and chronic reflux gastritis’s and was told that would affect my chances of having kids even more. Now I have a new wonderful man that I had fallen pregnant with at the start of 2009, but it was a ectopic pregnancy in the right tube and they had to remove my tube. So now where do i stand no right tube, and a left ovary that does not work right. I think that is one of the worse things that can happen for people like us when it s so hard to conceive and then they take that precious life away from us before we get the chance to meet them. (Sorry I still struggle with that) It hurt more than anything. I have not been able to fall again and starting to wonder why this is happening to me, but after reading everyone's comments it is happening to a lot of different women, and i wish all the luck in the world. I have wondered many of times on what I can do to try and fall pregnant and I have spoken to the doctors and they say the only way I will have kids is through IVF, All i ever wanted was to be a Mum and would love any help that people might have in different alternatives. Thank you and good luck all

Courtney (Corkey) - Don't ever give up. With lots of love and little bit of luck it will all work out. Just know that I love you and if you surround yourself with love and positive things - it will be ok.

Wow! congratulations. it's always nice to hear of successful stories. I have celiac diease and I have been with my partner for 7 years and have conceived 3 times but only been successful with one our daughter who now is 2 years old. We've never really used anything to prevent a pregnancy because children is just what we want and love but it's so hard to know what is and what isn't gluten free. I'm so annoyed because all my friends are having their second and third children.

there are a ton of studies between miscarriage and celiac disease especially in Europe. However once treated there should be no more issues. I had three miscarriages and 5 ivf cycles on top of eight clomid cycles and two iui cycles and at the age of 33 I had given up. I on a fluke went on the gluten free diet and three months later I was pregnant. SO I am not sure if you doctor is telling you that you can not conceive because you are a celiac, but if he is wrong and should be referring you to a gastro specialist for testing and healing of the intestines. Once you are healed you should be fine and be able to get pregnant. If you are not familiar or having issues determining what is gluten you should see a nutritionist who specializes in celiac disease. I would also recommend that you see a infertility specialist in case it is something else. The funny thing is the specialist are kind of dumb about the whole celiac thing. If you see an gastro specialist in celiac he will tell you that yeah that is why you can't conceive. So I would recommend going gluten free and give yourself three months to six months to heal. My daughter I carried to term and she was a very healthy baby who is now two.

How much of D, D3,K2 and K did you take?

Hi, I've got 2 children 8 and ten, my partner hasn't got children but is a real dad 2 my 2 children. I got pregnant 3 years ago and had a miscarriage. I've been trying ever since, then my dad phoned me and told me that coeliac runs in our family, I've looked up the symptoms and it explains a lot of how I have been for a good few years. I suffer with IBS, I've had scar tissue removed and I'm always tired and I see spots in my eyes and suffer from anemia and trapped wind. I'm going to go and get tested straight away. What I want to know is if I did have it and went on the diet would that make me fertile again, Has anyone been threw this and when they found out they had coeliac they went on the diet and conceived.

I was diagnosed today, and everything in the last 6 years makes sense now. I had my first baby at 22 years old. After that my health fell apart. I gained a lot of weight ( I was 310 lbs). I have had 9 miscarriages now, and have always wanted a family. I got really lucky though. I got a job as a baker (of all things) and the owner of the place and 4 of her 7 children have celiac. I had a severe "sinus infection" from December of 2010 until July of 2011. The cure was to go off of gluten. The "infection" cleared up in 24 hours. I am hoping that maybe this is the reason for my not being able to "stay" pregnant. Now that I am gluten free we shall see.