[happygirl]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1940041...Pubmed_RVDocSum

Clin Exp Obstet Gynecol. 2009;36(1):23-5.
Serological testing for celiac disease in women with endometriosis. A pilot study.Aguiar FM, Melo SB, Galvão LC, Rosa-e-Silva JC, dos Reis RM, Ferriani RA.
Sector of Human Reproduction, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, SP, Brazil.

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION: Celiac disease (celiac disease) involves immunologically mediated intestinal damage with consequent micronutrient malabsorption and varied clinical manifestations, and there is a controversial association with infertility. The objective of the present study was to determine the presence of celiac disease in a population of infertile women with endometriosis. METHODS: A total of 120 women with a diagnosis of endometriosis confirmed by laparoscopy (study group) and 1,500 healthy female donors aged 18 to 45 years were tested for celiac disease by the determination of IgA-transglutaminase antibody against human tissue transglutaminase (t-TGA) and anti-endomysium (anti-EMA) antibodies. RESULTS: Nine of the 120 women in the study group were anti-tTGA positive and five of them were also anti-EMA positive. Four of these five patients were submitted to intestinal biopsy which revealed celiac disease in three cases (2.5% prevalence). The overall celiac disease prevalence among the population control group was 1:136 women (0.66%). CONCLUSION: This is the first study reporting the prevalence of celiac disease among women with endometriosis, showing that celiac disease is common in this population group (2.5%) and may be clinically relevant.

PMID: 19400413 [PubMed - in process]

[Lisa]

happygirl, on May 6 2009, 01:26 PM, said:

. The objective of the present study was to determine the presence of celiac disease in a population of infertile women with endometriosis.

Laura, help me out here. What do they attribute the infertility to, the celiac disease or the endometriosis?

[jerseyangel]

Laura,

Thank you so much for posting this. I have long wondered if there was a link (even though this study focused on infertile women, it looks like they did determine a link). I had misdiagnoses concerning both Endometriosis and Celiac Disease.

With the Endometriosis, the doctors didn't do the laproscopic procedure needed for diagnosis because ultrasound had revealed ovarian cysts and fibroids. I had a nagging feeling that my symptoms matched up with endometriosis, but they went with what they had, I imagine thinking that the symptoms overlaped.

It was during my hysterectomy that stage 4 endometriosis (spread beyond the reproductive organs) was found along with adenomyosis, which is essentially endometriosis in the uterine wall.

Hopefully this study will cause doctors to consider testing when one of the conditions or symptoms of either are present. I wonder if the gluten free diet will be called for as a first step treatment when a woman is having trouble conceiving?

Wow. Thanks again

[lizard00]

I do remember seeing some information during one of my many internet searches at the beginning of my quest that indicated wheat should be eliminated as part of treatment of endometriosis. Does make you wonder if the diet will be promoted more as infertility treatment.

Thanks for posting