Celiac.com 04/08/2025 - Primary ovarian insufficiency is a condition where the ovaries stop functioning properly before the age of 40, often leading to infertility and hormone imbalances. Autoimmune diseases, where the body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissues, have been found to be common in women with this condition. Researchers aimed to investigate whether women with primary ovarian insufficiency and their family members had a higher likelihood of developing autoimmune diseases, including celiac disease.

Study Approach and Data Collection

This study analyzed electronic health records from two major healthcare systems in Utah, covering data from 1995 to 2022. Researchers identified 610 women diagnosed with primary ovarian insufficiency and reviewed their medical charts for accuracy. Using genealogy databases, they also identified first-, second-, and third-degree relatives of these women. The presence of autoimmune diseases was determined by reviewing medical records, and the risk levels were compared to the general population.

Key Findings: High Prevalence of Autoimmune Diseases in Women with Primary Ovarian Insufficiency

The study revealed that 25% of women with primary ovarian insufficiency had at least one autoimmune disease. Several autoimmune conditions were significantly more common in these women compared to the general population:

• Celiac disease – 7.5 times more likely
• Autoimmune hypothyroidism – 6.9 times more likely
• Adrenal insufficiency – 4.7 times more likely
• Type 1 diabetes – 4.1 times more likely
• Rheumatoid arthritis – 5.7 times more likely
• Psoriasis – 3.9 times more likely
• Systemic lupus erythematosus – 4.4 times more likely
• Vitiligo – 15.3 times more likely

Despite the strong connection between primary ovarian insufficiency and autoimmune diseases, the study did not find an increased risk of these conditions among the family members of affected women. This suggests that factors beyond genetics, such as hormonal or environmental triggers, may contribute to the development of autoimmune diseases in women with primary ovarian insufficiency.

Endocrine Autoimmune Diseases and Their Impact

Many of the autoimmune diseases observed in women with primary ovarian insufficiency are linked to endocrine system dysfunction.

Thyroid disease, particularly hypothyroidism, was the most common autoimmune condition in these women, affecting nearly 20% of them. This aligns with previous research linking ovarian and thyroid function.

Adrenal insufficiency, another hormonal disorder, was also significantly increased. This condition, which affects the body's ability to produce essential hormones, often occurs alongside other autoimmune conditions.

Type 1 diabetes, which results from an immune attack on insulin-producing cells, was also more common in women with primary ovarian insufficiency. Researchers noted that many of these women also had thyroid disorders, a combination that has been linked to autoimmune syndromes affecting multiple glands.

Non-Endocrine Autoimmune Diseases: The Connection to Celiac Disease

Beyond hormonal disorders, women with primary ovarian insufficiency were also at increased risk for several non-endocrine autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, vitiligo, psoriasis, and celiac disease.

The link between celiac disease and primary ovarian insufficiency is particularly notable. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder in which the ingestion of gluten triggers damage to the small intestine. The study found that women with primary ovarian insufficiency were 7.5 times more likely to have celiac disease than the general population. This connection suggests that women with ovarian insufficiency should be screened for celiac disease, especially if they experience symptoms such as digestive issues, nutrient deficiencies, or unexplained infertility.

Why Family Members Were Not at Increased Risk

While women with primary ovarian insufficiency were more likely to have autoimmune diseases, their relatives did not share this increased risk. This finding indicates that genetics alone may not be the primary driver of autoimmune disease in these women. Instead, environmental exposures, hormonal changes, or immune system dysregulation could play a key role. Researchers also suggested that differences in sex hormone levels, particularly estrogen and androgen, might influence autoimmune disease development, as these hormones are known to impact immune function.

What This Means for People with Celiac Disease

For individuals with celiac disease, this study highlights an important association between autoimmune conditions and reproductive health. Women diagnosed with celiac disease, especially those experiencing irregular periods or early menopause, should discuss ovarian function with their doctors. Similarly, women diagnosed with primary ovarian insufficiency should consider screening for celiac disease and other autoimmune conditions.

The study also underscores the importance of early diagnosis and intervention. Since autoimmune diseases often cluster together, recognizing and managing one condition can help prevent complications from others. Women with primary ovarian insufficiency may benefit from regular screenings for autoimmune diseases, including celiac disease, thyroid disorders, and adrenal insufficiency.

Conclusion: A Call for Greater Awareness and Screening

This research reinforces the strong connection between primary ovarian insufficiency and autoimmune diseases, including celiac disease. While the exact mechanisms remain unclear, the findings suggest that women with ovarian insufficiency should be monitored for autoimmune conditions. Increased awareness and proactive screening can help manage these diseases earlier, improving overall health and quality of life for affected individuals.

For those with celiac disease, this study is a reminder of the wider impact autoimmune diseases can have on the body, particularly on reproductive health. Understanding these connections can lead to better medical care, earlier diagnoses, and more effective management strategies for those living with celiac disease and other autoimmune conditions.

Read more at: academic.oup.com

Celiac.com 04/14/2020 - Non-celiac wheat sensitivity (NCWS) most frequently presents clinically with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)-like symptoms, although many extra-intestinal manifestations have also been attributed to it. No studies to date have evaluated the presence and frequency of gynecological symptoms in NCWS.

A team of researchers recently set out to assess the frequency of gynecological disorders in patients with NCWS. The research team included Maurizio Soresi, Salvatore Incandela, Pasquale Mansueto, Giuseppe Incandela, Francesco La Blasca, Francesca Fayer, Alberto D’Alcamo, Ada Maria Florena & Antonio Carroccio. They are variously affiliated with the Gynecology Unit, Giovanni Paolo II Hospital, Sciacca, Italy, and with the Internal Medicine Unit, and the Pathology Unit of the Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Maternal and Infant Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (PROMISE), University of Palermo in Palermo, Italy.

The team surveyed gynecological symptoms and recurrent cystitis in sixty-eight women with NCWS. They referred all patients with symptoms to specialists. The study used three different control groups. The first included 52 patients with IBS not related to NCWS, the second included 56 patients with celiac disease, and the third included 71 healthy control subjects.

Nearly sixty percent of NCWS patients had more frequent gynecological symptoms, than did healthy control subjects, IBS control subjects or controls with celiac disease. More than twenty-five percent of patients with NCWS experienced more frequent changes to the menstrual cycle, compared with just over eleven percent of healthy controls.  Sixteen percent patients with NCWS suffered from recurrent vaginitis (16%) and dyspareunia (6%) significantly more frequently than healthy controls. 

Nearly thirty percent of NCWS patients reported recurrent cystitis, far more than in healthy, IBS, and celiac control groups. Most patients with NCWS and recurrent vaginitis or cystitis had negative microbiological exam results.

Gluten-Free Diet Resolves Symptoms

Over a one-year follow-up period, nearly half of patients with menstrual disorders and nearly forty percent with recurrent vaginitis reported that their symptoms had resolved on a wheat-free diet.

Gynecological symptoms and recurrent cystitis were substantially more frequent in patients with NCWS than in IBS patients. Further study will likely help to shed light on the reasons for this difference, and help to reveal other important differences between these conditions.

Read more in Digestive Diseases and Sciences (2020)

Celiac.com 11/05/2019 - After failing to conceive naturally over several years, the woman, Helen Tzouganatos, turned to IVF doctor Professor Mark Bowman.

Tzouganatos says she and her husband had "tried every fertility trick in the book – expensive ovulation kits, herbal remedies, acupuncture, eating more of this and less of that, taking a holiday, taking another holiday – and nothing worked." 

During her intake, Tzouganatos told Dr. Bowman that she had no "serious" health issues just unexplained anemia since childhood, abdominal cramps and lactose intolerance. To his credit, Dr. Bowman immediately suspected she was a celiac. He ordered a celiac blood screen. When the results came back positive, everything became clear.

"You’re a celiac and that is why you’re infertile," Dr. Bowman told her. "You need to cut gluten immediately.”

Tzouganatos began a gluten-free diet immediately, and, after six rounds of IVF treatment, she conceived her son Vasili, followed by a daughter, Sofia, conceived on the second frozen embryo transfer 17 months later.

Statistical data indicate that one in 70 Australians have celiac disease yet 80 per cent are undiagnosed. Tzouganatos is lucky that her celiac disease was discovered quickly by her IVF doctor, after sneaking under the radar for so long. Any women experiencing unexplained infertility, especially in conjunction with other celiac-related symptoms should be screened to rule out celiac disease. Quick adoption of a gluten-free diet can often lead to full healing and normal, or greatly improved fertility.

Read more at SMH.com.au

08/21/2018 - Does celiac disease have any kind of adverse effect on ovarian reserve levels in women of reproductive age? To get an answer, a team of researchers recently conducted a study of ovarian reserve in patients of reproductive age with celiac disease using anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels, antral follicle counts (AFCs), and ovarian volume.

The research team included Erol Cakmak, Savas Karakus, Ozlem Demirpence, and Banu Demet Coskun. They are variously affiliated with the Department of Gastroenterology, the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Department of Biochemistry, Cumhuriyet University Faculty of Medicine, Sivas, Turkey, and with the Department of Gastroenterology, Kayseri Training and Research Hospital in Kayseri, Turkey.

For this study, their team included 46 female celiac patients and 40 healthy female subjects of reproductive age, 18–45 years of age. 

The team drew blood samples from both groups on days 2–4 of the menstrual cycle, and measured follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2), prolactin (PRL), and AMH levels. On the same day, the team measured AFCs and ovarian volume for each patient. They also recorded patient body mass index (BMI), gravidity/parity/abortions/alive counts, disease duration, and Marsh histological classification.

The results showed no statistically significant differences between celiac disease patients and control groups in terms of mean age, BMI, or median gravidity/parity/abortions/alive counts.  Also, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups in terms of average FSH, LH, E2, PRL levels, right and left ovarian volumes, and median right and left ovarian AFCs. 

The team found AMH levels to be markedly lower in the celiac group. The Spearman correlation test showed no significant connection between AMH levels and age, BMI, FSH, LH, E2, PRL levels, right and left ovarian volumes, right and left ovarian AFCs, or Marsh histological classification.

However, the team did find that, compared to healthy controls, female celiac patients of reproductive age showed decreased AMH levels and ovarian reserves that reflected the length of celiac duration; the longer the celiac disease, the greater the decrease.

It appears that, especially over time, celiac disease can reduce ovarian reserves, which could have an adverse affect on fertility. 

Read more at:  Med Sci Monit. 2018; 24: 1152–1157.

Celiac.com 06/06/2018 - Endometriosis is an often painful medical condition in which tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus, known as the endometrium, begins to grow outside the uterus. There is a bit of research data to support the idea that a gluten-free diet can improve the symptoms of endometriosis for some people. Mainly a 2012 clinical study that showed 75 percent of endometriosis patients reported major improvements after 12 months without gluten.

That bit of news has prompted more than a few women to try the diet, and more than a few to blog about it. One example is this blog entry by Lindsay Burgess. According to Burgess, She adds that gluten can “increase inflammation and can also cause digestive issues such as bloating and constipation,” which are common complaints from many who suffer from endometriosis.

The basic theory is that endometriosis involves a good deal of inflammation, and that a gluten-free diet will somehow help to reduce inflammation in general, and that the overall result will be a reduction of symptoms and an overall improvement in the endometriosis. Burgess says the endometriosis diet is largely about “cutting down/out inflammatory foods and replacing them with foods that can really support our bodies.” 

So, it’s not just about eliminating gluten, it is also about eating foods that promote overall health. Nothing wrong with promoting overall health by eating more nutritious foods. A more general question might be: Can eating a more nutritious diet help to improve overall health and thus help to improve symptoms of endometriosis? 

Perhaps, but eating a more nutritious diet is always a good idea. There’s still no solid medical evidence to show that eliminating gluten alone will help to improve endometriosis, tough, it’s certainly worth a try.

Remember, though, that many gluten-free foods are highly processed, and many are high in salt, sugar and fat, compared with their non-gluten-free counterparts. That means that simply giving up gluten likely won’t improve your diet, to say nothing of your endometriosis.

So, the take away here is that eating a more nutritious diet is never a bad idea, and that diet can include gluten-free foods, and these foods may improve your general health or your endometriosis.

Endometriosis can be a painful, frustrating experience, but going gluten-free is unlikely to improve your condition, and very unlikely to “cure” it. Officially, for people who do not have medical condition that requires them to avoid gluten, it’s probably best to resist the gluten-free diet.

So, the short of it is that, if you wish to eat gluten-free, then go ahead. But if you don’t have celiac disease or some other gluten sensitivity, don’t expect health or medical miracles, even for endometriosis.

Any benefits gained by a more nutritious diet can likely be gained with a diet that is not gluten-free. Of course, a balanced and nutritious gluten-free diet likely won’t harm you. Otherwise, you can choose to eat an anti-inflammatory diet that is not gluten-free and probably get similar results. 

In any case, be careful, choose carefully, and pay attention to your body.

There’s a good article on this at EndometriosisNews.com.

They also have a helpful link about getting started on a gluten-free diet for endometriosis. 

Celiac.com 05/09/2018 - Is there a difference in celiac disease rates between people born via cesarian section versus those born via natural birth? To answer that question, a team of researchers recently set out to investigate the association between mode of delivery and the risk of celiac disease in two large population-based birth cohorts with different rates of diagnosed celiac disease.

The research team included Stine Dydensborg Sander, Anne Vinkel Hansen, Ketil Størdal, Anne-Marie Nybo Andersen, Joseph A Murray, and Steffen Husby. They are variously affiliated with the Hans Christian Andersen Children’s Hospital, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark; the Institute of Clinical Research, Faculty of Health Science, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark; the Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; the Statistics Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark; the Department of Child Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway; the Department of Pediatrics, Ostfold Hospital Trust, Grålum, Norway; and the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.

For their observational register-based cohort study, the team used data from administrative and health registers from Denmark and Norway and linked the data at the individual level.  Their study group included all children born in Denmark from January 1, 1995 to December 31, 2010 and all children born in Norway from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2012.

The study group included included 1,051,028 children from Denmark, and 537,457 children from Norway. In total, cesarean sections 286,640 children were delivered by cesarian section, while a total of 3,314 children were diagnosed celiac disease. 

The team found no connection between the mode of delivery and the risk of diagnosed celiac disease. 

The adjusted odds ratio for celiac disease for children delivered by any type of cesarean section compared to vaginal delivery was 1.11 (95% CI: 0.96–1.29) in the Danish cohort and 0.96 (95% CI: 0.84–1.09) in the Norwegian cohort. The adjusted odds ratio for celiac disease for children delivered by elective cesarean section compared to vaginal delivery was 1.20 (95% CI: 1.00–1.43) in the Danish cohort and 0.96 (95% CI: 0.79–1.17) in the Norwegian cohort.

This large registry-based study provides strong evidence that the mode of birth delivery does not have any influence on whether a child will go on to develop celiac disease.

Source:

• Clin Epidemiol. 2018; 10: 323–332.Published online 2018 Mar 19. doi: 10.2147/CLEP.S152168

There's been some evidence to suggest that celiac disease might have impact women's reproductive health. However, the quest for more solid answers continues.

A team of researchers recently set out to assess fertility and outcomes of pregnancy among women with celiac disease. The research team included Stephanie M. Moleski, Christina C. Lindenmeyer, J. Jon Veloski, Robin S. Miller, Cynthia L. Miller, David Kastenberg, and Anthony J. DiMarino. The team crafted a retrospective cohort study in which they analyzed information gathered from patients at a tertiary care celiac center, along with information gathered from members of two national celiac disease awareness organizations.

A group of women without celiac disease served as control subjects. Both groups answered an anonymous online survey of 43 questions about menstrual history, fertility, and pregnancy outcomes. The group included 329 women with small bowel biopsy-confirmed celiac disease and 641 control subjects. Of the 970 women included in the study, 733 (75.6%) reported that they had been pregnant at some point.

In terms of pregnancy, there was no significant difference between women with celiac disease (n=245/329, 74.5%) and controls (488/641, 76.1%; P=0.57). However, fewer women with celiac disease than controls (79.6% vs. 84.8%) reported giving birth following 1 or more pregnancies (P=0.03).

Women with celiac disease had higher rates of spontaneous abortion than did control subjects (50.6% vs. 40.6%; P=0.01). Women with celiac disease also had higher rates of premature delivery, at 23.6% compared to 15.9% among controls (P=0.02).

The average age at menarche was a bit higher in the celiac disease group, at 12.7 years, than in the control group, which came in at 12.4 years (P=0.01).

This retrospective cohort analysis examining reproductive features of women with celiac disease, found that celiac disease was associated with significant increases in spontaneous abortion, premature delivery, and later age of menarche.

Source:

• Open Original Shared Link

Celiac.com 03/04/2015 - Women with infertility face higher rates of celiac disease, according to a recent data analysis.

Until now, data connecting celiac disease and infertility has been contradictory. There are currently no recommendations regarding celiac disease screening in female patients with infertility.

A research team recently conducted a meta-analysis to find out whether women with infertility have a higher risk for celiac disease. The team included Prashant Singh MBBS; Shubhangi Arora MBBS; Suman Lal MD; Tor A. Strand MD, PhD; and Govind K. Makharia MD, DM, DNB, MNAMS.

To source information for their analysis, the team performed a literature search using the MeSH keywords "celiac disease," "gluten," and "infertility." They based celiac diagnosis on positive patient serology and biopsies showing villous atrophy. The team extracted celiac disease data in 3 groups of women with "all cause" infertility, unexplained infertility, and a group of control subjects. They then calculated pooled odds ratio (OR) and prevalence, with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Of 105 relevant studies, they included five studies for calculation of pooled odds ratio. Four additional studies, where data on controls were not available, were also considered for calculation of pooled rates of celiac disease.

The analysis showed that women with infertility had 3.5 times higher odds of having celiac disease compared with the control group (OR=3.5; 95% CI, 1.3-9; P<0.01). Similarly, odds for celiac disease in women with "unexplained infertility" were 6 times greater than for control subjects (OR=6; 95% CI, 2.4-14.6).

Of 884 women with infertility, 20 had celiac disease indicating a pooled prevalence of 2.3% (95% CI, 1.4-3.5).

Of 623 women with "unexplained infertility," 20 had celiac disease. The pooled prevalence of celiac disease in women with unexplained infertility was 3.2% (95% CI, 2-4.9).

Celiac disease is more common in women with what is called "all-cause" infertility and "unexplained" infertility, than in general population.

Infertility and unexplained infertility can point to hidden celiac disease.

Source:

• Open Original Shared Link

Celiac.com 10/07/2011 - A number of studies suggest that women with celiac disease have reproductive difficulties, but data have been inconclusive and contradictory.

A research team recently set out to assess fertility in women with biopsy-verified celiac disease. The study team included Daniela Zugna, Lorenzo Richiardi, Olof Akre, Olof Stephansson, and Jonas F Ludvigsson.

They are affiliated variously with the Cancer Epidemiology Unit at the Centre for Experimental Research and Medical Studies and Centre for Oncologic Prevention at the University of Turin in Turin, Italy, the Department of Paediatrics at Örebro University Hospital in Örebro, Sweden, and with Clinical Epidemiology Unit of the Department of Medicine, the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, the Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and the Department of Women's and Children's Health at the Karolinska Institutet in Karolinska, Sweden.

For their Swedish population-based cohort study, the team gathered data all 28 pathology departments in Sweden on 18,005 biopsy-proven duodenal/jejunal biopsy, using Marsh III, villous atrophy as their baseline.

They also established a control group of 51,109 age-matched women without celiac disease.

They then found 11,495 women with celiac disease who were aged 18–45 years.

The team used multinomial logistic regression and Cox regression to estimate fertility in these women compared with the age-matched reference women.

The team defined 'fertility' as the number of children according to the Swedish Multi-Generation Register.

Their results showed that women with celiac disease had 16,309 births compared with 69,245 for the reference group.

Overall, the total number of children in the group of women with celiac disease was slightly higher compared with the reference group.

Adjusting for age, calendar period and parity and stratifying by education, the overall fertility hazard ratio (HR) for women with celiac disease was 1.03 (95% CI 1.01 to 1.05).

Specifically, the fertility HR was 1.05 (95% CI 0.96 to 1.14) for celiac disease diagnosed in women under 18-years of age, 1.04 (95% CI 1.01 to 1.07) for celiac disease diagnosed in women between 18 and 45 years, and 1.02 (95% CI 0.99 to 1.04) for celiac disease diagnosed in women >45 years of age.

Factoring in the dates of celiac disease diagnosis, fertility was decreased 0–2 years before time of diagnosis (HR=0.63; 95% CI 0.57 to 0.70),

but was identical to that of controls 0–5 years subsequent to diagnosis and increased to 1.12 (95% CI 1.03 to 1.21) thereafter.

The data for this study show that women with celiac disease had a normal fertility, but their fertility was decreased in the last two years before diagnosis.

Interestingly, fertility in women with celiac disease was also slightly higher after five years, comported to the control group.

Stay tuned...

Source:

• Open Original Shared Link

Celiac.com 09/30/2011 - A new study indicates that women who suffer unexplained infertility suffer higher rates of undiagnosed celiac disease than those who do not experience unexplained infertility.

The study appeared in the May-June issue of the Journal of Reproductive Medicine.

Using serologic screening for celiac disease as well as routine infertility testing, Janet M. Choi, M.D., of Columbia University in New York City, led a study team that included B. Lebwohl, J. Wang, S. K. Lee, J. A. Murray, M. V. Sauer and P. H. R. Green.

Together, they assessed 191 women with infertility. The researchers confirmed four women with positive serum test results to have celiac disease. That's 2.1 percent of the 188 patients who completed testing. The women received nutritional counseling to adopt a gluten-free diet.

Now, this prevalence rate was not significantly higher than the expected 1.3 percent seen in the general population.

However, three cases of undiagnosed celiac disease were seen among the 51 women with unexplained fertility, for a significantly higher prevalence rate of 5.9 percent.

Interestingly, all four women found to have celiac disease successfully conceived within a year of diagnosis and treatment.

From these results, the team concludes that women with unexplained infertility face a higher risk of undiagnosed celiac disease. They also suggest that this is a risk factor that can be mitigated, and treated.

Source:

• Open Original Shared Link

Celiac.com 06/20/2011 - A team of researchers set out to assess menopause-associated disorders and fertile life span in women with untreated celiac disease compared to those who followed a long-term gluten-free diet.

The research team included Antonella Santonicola, MD, Paola Iovino, MD, Carmelina Cappello, MD, Pietro Capone, MD, Paolo Andreozzi, MD, and Carolina Ciacci, MD.

For their study, the team recruited 33 post-menopausal women with untreated celiac disease, 25 celiac women who had followed a gluten-free diet for at least ten years before menopause, and 45 healthy volunteers as a control group.

The team used the Menopause Rating Scale questionnaire to gather information on menopause-associated disorders among study participants. They also used the International Physical Activity Questionnaire to chart information on physical activity.

Overall, results showed that the women with untreated celiac disease had a shorter overall fertile life spans than did the control women. This was due to both a higher age of menarche and a lower age of menopause (P G 0.01).

Women with untreated celiac disease also showed higher scores for hot flushes, muscle/joint problems, and irritability than the control group. An increase of 49.4%, 121.4%, and 58.6%, respectively; P G 0.05).

In contrast with the untreated celiac women, those who followed a long-term gluten-free diet showed no significant difference in the duration of fertile life span. They also had about half as many muscle/joint problems than the untreated group, with a total reduction of 47.1%; P G 0.05.

The data show that women with untreated celiac disease have later menarche and earlier menopause, which shortens their fertility periods compared to healthy women without celiac disease. Also, they perceive hot flushes and irritability much more intensely than control subjects.

Women with celiac disease can prolong their fertility life span at least ten years prior to starting menopause.

Lastly, untreated celiac disease may increase women's overall discomfort levels, and thus contribute to low physical exercise and/or poorer quality of life frequently reported by untreated celiac women.

Source:

• Open Original Shared Link
  

The research team included Daniela Zugna, Ph.D., Lorenzo Richiardi, M.D., Ph.D., Olof Akre, M.D., Ph.D., Olof Stephansson, M.D., Ph.D., and Jonas F. Ludvigsson, M.D., Ph.D.

The study included 7,121 men from a national Swedish population-based cohort. All of the men had celiac disease, as defined according to duodenal-jejunal biopsy data with the presence of Marsh III villous atrophy. 

The study followed men born between 1914 and 1990 until they turned 54, or until the study ended in 2008, whichever came first.

Using multinomial logistic regression and Cox regression,  the researchers calculated the number of children each man had fathered, and when those children were born relative to his celiac diagnosis. The team compared the estimated fertility of the study group against data from 31,677 age-matched reference male control subjects.

Across the board, for every given time span, both before and after celiac disease diagnosis, men with celiac disease showed no higher rates of infertility. In fact, men with celiac disease fathered children at the same rate as these without, and showed similar rates for not fathering children.

At the end of the study, men with celiac disease had 9,935 children compared with 42,245 among controls. About 35 percent of men with and without celiac disease had no children.

Adjusting for age, time period, and parity and stratifying by education, men with biopsy-verified celiac disease showed an overall fertility hazard ratio of 1.02 (95% confidence interval, 0.99–1.04).

So, overall, this study found normal fertility rates in men with diagnosed celiac disease compared to those without.

Because the team studied only Swedish-born men still living in Sweden as adults, the authors note that the data may not apply to all men. However, the large study population makes the results more convincing.

It's important to remember that this study covers male fertility, and that several studies have shown that women with celiac disease do suffer reproductive and/or fertility issues at higher rates than women without celiac disease.

SOURCE:
Open Original Shared Link