Infertility

[Mandy M]

I was just "rediagnoised" last week with having Celiac disease. I had it as a child. I thought I out grew it so I went on my marry way eatting whatever I wanted. Well 17yrs later I find out that untreated Celiac disease can cause infertility. So I'm thinking that might be the reason I haven't gotten pregnant in the past 2yrs. So I was wondering did anyone else have this problem of infertility and if so how long did it take to reverse itself and you got pregnant? Its been along 2yrs and money wasted on fertility pills, and tests and I just want to know for sure if this is the reason i'm infertil for the time being! thank you for your time and efforts.

[nikelodeon79]

My husband and I tried for about a year without success and then a couple of weeks after I found out I had Celiac and switched my diet... I got pregnant. It may just be coincidence... I'm not sure.

BUT I would advise one thing: get a handle on your new diet before getting pregnant. I'm 8 weeks pregnant and feeling quite depressed/upset about all the things I can't eat. I'm still getting used to eating gluten-free, and having to be extra careful because of the baby. Very stressful!

[Mandy M]

Thank you for writing back. I was on the diet before so I'm hopeing that it will just fall back into habit for me. The hardest part is the cost of things. Oh well lots of baking at home. I can't wait to get pregnant. Thank you for giving me hope! Good luck with your child. I read that if you breast feed theres a lesser chance of the child having celiac. Not sure if thats true or not.

[SGWhiskers]

Well, no one can say for sure why you are having trouble conceiving. My husband and I tried for 8 years and went through climid, IUI's and when we went to try IVF, the doc's did blood tests that said I was in perimenopause at 31. They recommended an egg donor. We didn't have the money to persue it. 3 years later I was diagnosed with Celiac. (I'm sure I had it since about the time we started clomid. I suspect I had it since college and maybe since I was a kid). After 2 years on a gluten free diet, we conceived naturally. I'm certain that the gluten free eating was responsible for this baby.

I don't know if gluten free eating will be the answer for you, but being back on the gluten free diet will make you healthier, and if you do get pregnant, it will lower your miscarriage risk. Best wishes to you in your celiac recovery and in conceiving. I truly know how it breaks your heart every day waiting and wondering how and when your family will come.

[Mandy M]

As long as I hear others stories of women with celiac getting pregnant I will keep my hopes up. I'm going to see a specialist in Nov. Hopefully I won't need too and be pregnant by then! Thank you again for you help everyone

[Frances03]

We had infertility for over a year, twice, and also had 3 miscarriages in a row ALL in the couple years before I was diagnosed. 8 months after being diagnosed, I became pregnant and am now 21 weeks along. No explanation was every found for all the miscarriages and infertility. I had lots of tests done. I am also 39, and this pregnancy is going GREAT. I had given up.

[Mandy M]

Thats great! Congrats! I haven't had any misscariages. But just never getting pregnant. I'm on the diet now for two weeks and fingers crossed that it will soon happen.

[i-geek]

  On 9/27/2010 at 4:35 PM, Mandy M said:

Thats great! Congrats! I haven't had any misscariages. But just never getting pregnant. I'm on the diet now for two weeks and fingers crossed that it will soon happen.

My husband's cousin is a naturopathic doctor and she says that on average, her infertile celiac patients return to fertility about 1.5 years after going gluten-free. I'm hanging my hopes on this. We've been trying (or at least not avoiding) for more than 6 years now. I've been gluten-free for 9 months, so maybe next summer it will happen.

[firefightersgal]

I have been battling secondary infertility for two years in December. A year ago, we had a miscarriage and have not had a pregnancy since. I've been on Clomid many times (with breaks along the way). Everything appears to be working correctly, but I don't get pregnant. There was also no explanation for my miscarriage.

Someone posted an article on here a while back about gluten causing miscarriages in those with Celiac Disease. It said something to the effect that the antibodies that are formed when we (gluten-intolerant folks) eat gluten attack the placenta and destroy it. When I read that, it all made so much sense to me. We were able to conceive our four-year old daughter very easily and I had a fairly easy pregnancy. However, at my 40-week appointment, I was only measuring at 27-weeks. My doctor sent me over for a sonogram and it was found that my daughter did not have any amniotic fluid, so I was induced immediately. They examined the placenta after my daughter was born and it was found to not be functioning. I've read that adult-onset celiac disease requires some kind of physically or emotionally taxing event. Pregnancy certainly is hard on the body, so I suspect that my pregnancy with my daughter triggered my celiac disease.

I've only known about this since August, though, so I may still have a while before I'm able to get pregnant. I hope not, though!

[Mandy M]

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you. I hope everything turns out good. I'm on my second month on the diet and sadly nothing yet. I know I know it takes a bit for the body to bounce back from being attacked by the gluten. I see a fertility specialist on weds so hopefully she will help!

[momna]

HI All,

I have just been diagnosed with Celiac in May 2011 and stopped gluten right there and then. I too am having problems with infertility. We didnt have problems with baby number 1 who is now 10 years old but now two years of IUIs, injectibles (we didnt do IVF) still no baby. My RE said I have the perfect eggs as when we did the injectibles, I was able to produce 15 eggs! but then none was fertilized. After reading all your post I cant help but be hopeful that this could be the answer to my unexplained fertility. I had my first positive ovulation kit three weeks ago and my period is a bit delayed so I am keeping my fingers crossed and toes intertwined too!

Please continue to post your pregnancy success stories! Thanks!

[Mandy M]

I have my fingers crossed for you. Yeah Its frustrating hey. Congrats on having one child. I'm still trying for number 1