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How Does Celiac Affect Pregnancy?

Motherbird7

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Motherbird7 Rookie
Motherbird7
Posted

I know there is an association between miscarriage and celiac but I don't understand the relationship.

About 5 years ago I suffered my first miscarriage (13 weeks) after 5 healthy pregnancies and 1 happy adoption. I was 36 at the time. I silently worried it had been caused by stress due to my sister's cancer diagnosis and taking care of her 3 babies along with my own.

Within 6 weeks I was unexpectedly pregnant again with my 7th child and carried him successfully to term.

Finally, a year ago this month I again suffered a miscarriage and subsequent hemmorrhage also at 13 weeks. It was during my examination for this event I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis but no one mentioned what might have contributed to the loss.

I am at peace with the number of children we now have and not planning any more, but I guess, with the anniversary here and now knowing I have celiac (3 months gluten free) I am wondering anew what may have happened and if it might be due to celiac in any way. I also have concerns for my son who was born in the middle of the two. Do I need to be especially watchful if I had celiac while pregnant with him?

Thank you, and if this is not the appropriate place to post this topic, please advise and accept my apologies.

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faithforlife Apprentice
faithforlife
Posted

Sounds like you have a wonderful family! I would be wondering the same things. I have read that pregnancy can bring on celiac just because it is hard on your body ( but totally worth it). I too have had 5 healthy babies all natural and am expecting my 6th, but now I know I'm celiac and am gluten free ( over a year now) but I have felt way worse than with my others. I'm so weak and tired and dizzy. I am usually anemic while pregnant. The doctor said he saw scalloping in my endo which means I've been celiac for many years and didn't know. I think something changes once you go gluten-free and become even more sensitive to gluten ( my theory). I used to feel ok eating anything and now it really sends me into fatigue. I don't have any answers for you but I am thrilled to meet another Mom of many children on here! I am really grieved for your losses. So sorry. As far as your kids go I do recommend having genetic testing done. We did- and found one celiac and the risk levels of each one so 4/5 of my kids are gluten-free in and out of house.

Motherbird7 Rookie
Motherbird7
Posted
  • Author

Sounds like you have a wonderful family!... I don't have any answers for you but I am thrilled to meet another Mom of many children on here! I am really grieved for your losses. So sorry. As far as your kids go I do recommend having genetic testing done. We did- and found one celiac and the risk levels of each one so 4/5 of my kids are gluten-free in and out of house.

Thank you faithforlife and congratulations on your pregnancy. My children are wonderful and their Dad has been very supportive. We have had all of them tested...so far all negative but I am suspicious because some have symptoms. As for genetic testing...I am not sure I understand about finding the risk levels of each one? How do you know that? With myself and 2 living sisters celiac and one who passed away from lymphoma/leukemia who also had autoimmune issues(possibly undiagnosed celiac?)...I was told by someone on this forum that was as good or better than genetic testing. Since the celiac testing has been negative I was thinking I would have the whole family be gluten free in the house but relax out? Except that there are thyroid concerns with one of them (myself and both my parents have Hashimoto's)so I am still worried about the best course of action.

faithforlife Apprentice
faithforlife
Posted

We did the Promethius Celiac Plus test which tells exactly what gene they carry and their risk level. So 3 ofus were only moderate risk, 3 of us were high risk (2 of which had the positive antibodies and positive endo) and one of us is very high risk -no positive antibodies but symptomatic and improved on diet. Doc told me its harder to get a positive antibody reading on younger kids so genetic testing is helpful in deciding the diet. Plus when they have relatives already diagnosed their risk levels are even higher! It was a very difficult decision to Make but some things that the doctors said made a lot of sense and help me go all the way with it. He said that it would be a shame to not teach my kids the rigid diet when they are genetically prone to celiac and their future children will be also. He encouraged me not to pass up this age of opportunity and part of learning the diet is learning it in all different settings and learning to say no. It's been Good. I have felt okay with it because even though my son and I are the first to be diagnosed in all the extended family I have so many relatives and my own father who died young of autoimmune disorders. I feel the diet helps us to make good choices and to say no to a lot of the junk that we would otherwise be eating without thinking about it.

NJceliac Apprentice
NJceliac
Posted

I know there is an association between miscarriage and celiac but I don't understand the relationship.

About 5 years ago I suffered my first miscarriage (13 weeks) after 5 healthy pregnancies and 1 happy adoption. I was 36 at the time. I silently worried it had been caused by stress due to my sister's cancer diagnosis and taking care of her 3 babies along with my own.

Within 6 weeks I was unexpectedly pregnant again with my 7th child and carried him successfully to term.

Finally, a year ago this month I again suffered a miscarriage and subsequent hemmorrhage also at 13 weeks. It was during my examination for this event I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis but no one mentioned what might have contributed to the loss.

I am at peace with the number of children we now have and not planning any more, but I guess, with the anniversary here and now knowing I have celiac (3 months gluten free) I am wondering anew what may have happened and if it might be due to celiac in any way. I also have concerns for my son who was born in the middle of the two. Do I need to be especially watchful if I had celiac while pregnant with him?

.

Thank you, and if this is not the appropriate place to post this topic, please advise and accept my apologies.

Given your age even without celiac you have a 30-35% chance of miscarriage. Even if you were thirteen weeks at time of diagnosis, how big was the pregnancy measuring and did the physician send the pregnancy tissue for chromosomal analysis? If the chromosomes were abnormal then most likely not related to celiac but the most common reason to have a miscarriage which is chromosomal abnormality that takes place at time sperm and egg meet (random or spontaneous event)

As far as your middle child, having diagnosed celiac or undiagnosed celiac during a pregnancy would not affect that child at this point. Undiagnosed celiac in pregnancy increases risk of small for size baby at birth or risk of intrauterine death.

If you are concerned about your children, you can consider genetic testing for them. Keep in mind 40% of US population will have genetic predisposition to develop celiac but only slightly less then 1% of US population is thought to have celiac (mostly undiagnosed by the way). So, if the children are at risk for developing celiac, you can then check their antibody titers every few years or if they develop symptoms. If they do not carry the genetic predisposition then they never have to worry about being celiac.

Glucose intolerance is a separate animal and at this point the guidelines are not nearly as clear as with celiac.

I hope this was helpful. University of Chicago has an excellent website especially on the topic of genetic testing.

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