Is Finding An Ob With Celiac Experience Important?

[Ann K]

Hi! I have a question that I haven't been able to find an answer to yet, and I'm hoping one of you can help!

I was diagnosed with celiac's disease 4 years ago and have been gluten free ever since (except for the occassional accident). My husband and I want to start trying to have kids, but I am a bit worried about having celiacs and being pregnant. I guess my main concern is having complications due to celiac disease. So, that brings me to my question: is having an OB that knows about celiac disease important, or will any OB do?

[KayJay]

  Ann K said:

Hi! I have a question that I haven't been able to find an answer to yet, and I'm hoping one of you can help!

I was diagnosed with celiac's disease 4 years ago and have been gluten free ever since (except for the occassional accident). My husband and I want to start trying to have kids, but I am a bit worried about having celiacs and being pregnant. I guess my main concern is having complications due to celiac disease. So, that brings me to my question: is having an OB that knows about celiac disease important, or will any OB do?

I don't think you should have any problems. My ob didn't know much about Celiac and sent me to a GI when I was first pg. He said after the first few risky weeks that I should be fine but really stressed to me to watch what I ate. He told me no eating out that any amount of Gluten could be harmful for the baby. I followed his instructions for about 6-7 months and then ate out on occasion. 9 months is a long time. But basically, the GI couldn't do anything or say anything that I didn't already know. One important thing to stress to your OB is the hospital food. Have her write it on your chart that you can only eat gluten-free. Mine did that but I still had a horrible time with all that at the hospital. Relax and I hope you get pg real soon!

[Melzo]

I don't know that it is very important to have an ob/gyn that knows about celiac disease. I am seven months pregnant, and none of my ob's know what celiac disease is (other than what I told them about it). Just make sure that you stay on your gluten free diet while pregnant as best you can (the occational accident is ok and is NOT going to harm the baby). Just don't go around thinking that you can eat gluten because you're pregnant!!! Also, take gluten free prenatals - some ob's will give you a script without thinking about it being gluten free or not.

You may find this on this board or by doing research - woman who are pregnant with celiac disease (and are treating it) are MORE healthy and will have a healthier baby than normal woman without celiac disease. Of course, your baby can still get the celiac disease gene!!!!

Good luck and DON'T WORRY! I worried too about complications at first but as I have been going to all my checkups, I see that the baby is perfect and my pregnancy has been perfect. I stopped worrying.

[Anya78]

I agree with previous posters. I'm due any day now. My OBs know of Celiac, but they are by no means experts and I bet it would be really, really difficult to find an OB that has more than just general knowledge of it. As long as you are well educated as to what you can and can't eat and you remain on the strict gluten free diet, you'll have no problem. I would just recommend that you be particularly careful when eating out. I didn't eat out until I was probably 5 mos. pregnant just because I was worried about cross contamination. Since then, we've been out quite a bit, but I mostly stick to restaurants that I know have been safe for me in the past and I'm very picky with what I order.

Anya