Coeliac Disease and miscarriage?

[Amaunet]

So I saw my OB yesterday, was expecting to be told they found no reason for my m/c...but I came back positive on the Coeliac blood tests. Women with Coeliac disease apparently have an increased risk of m/c. I know this is only the first step towards a coeliac diagnosis ( I'll probably need a bowel biopsy ) but thought I'd ask you lovely ladies if anyone has any experience. The good news is, it appears treatment (ie eliminating gluten) takes away the added m/c risk, but I'm a bit freaked out at the challenge of eliminating all gluten...I love my food but HATE cooking with a passion and tend to eat lots of pre-made things...all of which appear to have gluten... I'm probably freaking out prematurely, it may all come to nothing, but anyone have any ideas? advice? sympathy lol I am definitely prepared to go gluten free if thats what it takes, but scared witless at the thought...

[starangelk]

CF - I have coeliac and I had a mc when I fell pregnant originally. I was told I was just "unlucky" and no mention was made of cd being the reasoning behind the mc. If you DO have coeliac's, it is actually a lot easier to live gluten free than it used to be. There are quite a few pre packaged products available at the major grocery stores and the health food shops are even better.

[Amaunet]

Thanks starangelk - I think its "untreated" coeliac disease that's the problem

[takingtime]

I have coeliac disease so I understand how much of a lifestyle change it is at first. I was diagnosed about a year or two before TTC and was eating completely gluten free when TTC.
Yes, it is difficult at first to eliminate ALL gluten (which is what you have to do) but once you get use to it you will be fine. There are alot of pre packaged gluten free foods out there (just watch the fat and carb content).
Overall though, it was honestly the best thing I ever did. I feel so much better since going gluten free.
The only true diagnosis of Coeliac is a biopsy (I was negative on the bloods but a strong positive on the biopsy) but honestly, it sounds worse than it really is!
Good luck with it all and feel free to ask any questions.

[Amaunet]

One of the websites...

Question: Should I Be Tested for Celiac Disease After Multiple Miscarriages?

Someone told me that celiac disease might be a cause of my recurrent miscarriages. Could that be true? Should I get tested for celiac disease?
Answer:

One of many frustrating aspects of recurrent miscarriages is that there are more questions than answers as to why some couples find themselves facing multiple pregnancy losses. There are many theories but only a handful of recognized causes of recurrent pregnancy losses. One theory is that untreated celiac disease (intolerance of gluten proteins) could have some role in recurrent miscarriages.

But what's the evidence for this theory? Should you be tested for celiac disease if you've had recurrent miscarriages?

Here is what UpToDate, an electronic reference for doctors and patients, has to say about the matter:

"Untreated celiac disease, even when subclinical, has been associated with pregnancy loss, menstrual disorders, and infertility. Treatment of celiac disease appears to prevent these problems.

"The relationship between untreated celiac disease and pregnancy loss is not well defined. A population based cohort study of over 1500 women with celiac disease found the miscarriage rate among women with the disease was 1.31 higher than those without the disease (95% CI 1.06-1.61). In a smaller case-control study, a stronger association was found (95% CI 1.19-66.3). However, others could not confirm this association. In addition, no study has shown that celiac disease causes repeated pregnancy loss. Nevertheless, due to the effects of the disease to health in general, and the possible positive effects of treatment of the disease, we suggest screening women with RPL for celiac disease."

What that means is that there's not a whole lot of research fleshing out the specifics of exactly how celiac disease relates to recurrent miscarriages, but it seems like women with untreated or even subclinical celiac disease (who have no obvious symptoms of gluten intolerance) may face a higher risk of miscarriage.

It's not yet proven that celiac disease is a true cause of miscarriages rather than a possible risk factor, and the evidence is mixed on the level of risk involved. But it does appear that there is enough evidence of a link that you might want to ask your doctor about screening if you are having recurrent miscarriages and suspect you could have celiac disease, especially since undiagnosed celiac disease could cause other negative health effects.

[Amaunet]

Found this on the Healthdirect Australia site

Coeliac disease is a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. People who have coeliac disease cannot tolerate a protein called gluten, which is found in wheat, rye, and barley. When people with coeliac disease eat foods containing gluten, their immune system responds by damaging the small intestine.

Coeliac disease is a genetic disease, meaning that it runs in families. Sometimes the disease is triggered, or becomes active for the first time, after surgery, pregnancy, childbirth, viral infection, or severe emotional stress.

So this may have been triggered my my first pregnancy birth...at the risk of TMI...my bowel movements have been very different since the birth...