Pre-Term Labor

[sweetpea]

I was just wondering if there is a connection b/w celiac and pre-term labor. At 34 wks, my OB put me on daily meds to control the contractions (b/c I am dilating). I'll be on them for another week, and then she can just come when she comes. Not really sure why I would have pre-term labor, so I was curious if it could be related to the Celiac disease.

[BeHappy]

Interesting. My daughter has celiac, and I ONLY had preterm labor with her. It started at 34 weeks.I had contractions almost all day 5 minutes apart until I gave birth 3 1\2 weeks later. I didn't have anything with any of my other kids.

Strange coincidence?

[T.H.]

Honestly, nothing would surprise me anymore, ya know? Celiac disease seems to have an effect on every system in our body, so why not the reproductive one, too?

For both my pregnancies, when I was undiagnosed as a celiac, I had massive braxton hicks starting at about 6 months. I had bed rest for the first, but knew what to do when it started the second time and took it easier. So...something definitely happened during my pregnancy, just not sure why.

[Emilushka]

Nothing has been supported by evidence in the scientific community so far. There are a lot of people with nutritional deficiencies or health that is otherwise compromised that have Braxton-Hicks contractions or preterm labor, but that's true across the board, not only with Celiac Disease. So it could be, but it could be as a secondary effect, too.

[Asianmom]

I was wondering the exact same thing! I am only 7 1/2 weeks with my third child, but with my first two, which were both boys, I was NOT on a gluten free diet, and had pre-term labor with both! I had pre-term labor and lots of it with my first starting at 24 weeks, and with my second at 19 weeks and was on bedrest and a terbutaline pump for both. I delivered both boys 1 week after I came off the pump and the meds wore off. I am curious what the connection is. I know I read something in a medical journal (about a few years ago) that was published that listed undiagnosed women tend to have a higher incidence of pre-term labor...but can't remember if it was JAMA or whatever. This time I am praying for a different outcome as I am totally gluten free.

I will have to find the other posts about morning/all day sickness, and this one is WAY worse and I feel horrible and this time I am gluten free! UGH!

[K8ling]

I was wondering the exact same thing! I am only 7 1/2 weeks with my third child, but with my first two, which were both boys, I was NOT on a gluten free diet, and had pre-term labor with both! I had pre-term labor and lots of it with my first starting at 24 weeks, and with my second at 19 weeks and was on bedrest and a terbutaline pump for both. I delivered both boys 1 week after I came off the pump and the meds wore off. I am curious what the connection is. I know I read something in a medical journal (about a few years ago) that was published that listed undiagnosed women tend to have a higher incidence of pre-term labor...but can't remember if it was JAMA or whatever. This time I am praying for a different outcome as I am totally gluten free.

I will have to find the other posts about morning/all day sickness, and this one is WAY worse and I feel horrible and this time I am gluten free! UGH!

OMG I so understand, I just went to the ER for the 2nd time in a month for extreme dehydration!! My OB actually sent me to get an IV, I was like "um....shouldn't I be better?" I took a phenergan at 4am and I am STILL dopey.

Man I hope this lets up soon, I so can't function like this!

[ravenwoodglass]

Nothing has been supported by evidence in the scientific community so far. There are a lot of people with nutritional deficiencies or health that is otherwise compromised that have Braxton-Hicks contractions or preterm labor, but that's true across the board, not only with Celiac Disease. So it could be, but it could be as a secondary effect, too.

Actually there is quite a bit of research out there. This is a good place to start but a search of PubMed will bring up quite a bit.

Open Original Shared Link

I should note that in most cases following the diet strictly takes care of many of the associated risks of miscarriage and infertility.

[glutenfreemama23]

This topic interests me greatly. With my first two children I was not gluten free. I was put on bedrest for contractions at 30 weeks with the first and 20 weeks with the second. When I found out I was pregnant last month I was gluten loading for a celiac biopsy (which I unfortunately had to cancel). I slowly stopped eating the wheat and went back to my gluten free diet. I was having crazy contractions at only 6 weeks along. For over a week now I have not have any incidence with contractions and am wondering if it was the gluten causing them. I am hoping to hear some good news from somebody who has had difficult pregnancies (due to contractions), then had a trouble free pregnancy after being gluten free. Anybody out there?