Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

How Does Celiac Affect Pregnancy?

Motherbird7

Recommended Posts

Motherbird7 Rookie
Motherbird7
Posted

I know there is an association between miscarriage and celiac but I don't understand the relationship.

About 5 years ago I suffered my first miscarriage (13 weeks) after 5 healthy pregnancies and 1 happy adoption. I was 36 at the time. I silently worried it had been caused by stress due to my sister's cancer diagnosis and taking care of her 3 babies along with my own.

Within 6 weeks I was unexpectedly pregnant again with my 7th child and carried him successfully to term.

Finally, a year ago this month I again suffered a miscarriage and subsequent hemmorrhage also at 13 weeks. It was during my examination for this event I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis but no one mentioned what might have contributed to the loss.

I am at peace with the number of children we now have and not planning any more, but I guess, with the anniversary here and now knowing I have celiac (3 months gluten free) I am wondering anew what may have happened and if it might be due to celiac in any way. I also have concerns for my son who was born in the middle of the two. Do I need to be especially watchful if I had celiac while pregnant with him?

Thank you, and if this is not the appropriate place to post this topic, please advise and accept my apologies.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


faithforlife Apprentice
faithforlife
Posted

Sounds like you have a wonderful family! I would be wondering the same things. I have read that pregnancy can bring on celiac just because it is hard on your body ( but totally worth it). I too have had 5 healthy babies all natural and am expecting my 6th, but now I know I'm celiac and am gluten free ( over a year now) but I have felt way worse than with my others. I'm so weak and tired and dizzy. I am usually anemic while pregnant. The doctor said he saw scalloping in my endo which means I've been celiac for many years and didn't know. I think something changes once you go gluten-free and become even more sensitive to gluten ( my theory). I used to feel ok eating anything and now it really sends me into fatigue. I don't have any answers for you but I am thrilled to meet another Mom of many children on here! I am really grieved for your losses. So sorry. As far as your kids go I do recommend having genetic testing done. We did- and found one celiac and the risk levels of each one so 4/5 of my kids are gluten-free in and out of house.

Motherbird7 Rookie
Motherbird7
Posted
  • Author

Sounds like you have a wonderful family!... I don't have any answers for you but I am thrilled to meet another Mom of many children on here! I am really grieved for your losses. So sorry. As far as your kids go I do recommend having genetic testing done. We did- and found one celiac and the risk levels of each one so 4/5 of my kids are gluten-free in and out of house.

Thank you faithforlife and congratulations on your pregnancy. My children are wonderful and their Dad has been very supportive. We have had all of them tested...so far all negative but I am suspicious because some have symptoms. As for genetic testing...I am not sure I understand about finding the risk levels of each one? How do you know that? With myself and 2 living sisters celiac and one who passed away from lymphoma/leukemia who also had autoimmune issues(possibly undiagnosed celiac?)...I was told by someone on this forum that was as good or better than genetic testing. Since the celiac testing has been negative I was thinking I would have the whole family be gluten free in the house but relax out? Except that there are thyroid concerns with one of them (myself and both my parents have Hashimoto's)so I am still worried about the best course of action.

faithforlife Apprentice
faithforlife
Posted

We did the Promethius Celiac Plus test which tells exactly what gene they carry and their risk level. So 3 ofus were only moderate risk, 3 of us were high risk (2 of which had the positive antibodies and positive endo) and one of us is very high risk -no positive antibodies but symptomatic and improved on diet. Doc told me its harder to get a positive antibody reading on younger kids so genetic testing is helpful in deciding the diet. Plus when they have relatives already diagnosed their risk levels are even higher! It was a very difficult decision to Make but some things that the doctors said made a lot of sense and help me go all the way with it. He said that it would be a shame to not teach my kids the rigid diet when they are genetically prone to celiac and their future children will be also. He encouraged me not to pass up this age of opportunity and part of learning the diet is learning it in all different settings and learning to say no. It's been Good. I have felt okay with it because even though my son and I are the first to be diagnosed in all the extended family I have so many relatives and my own father who died young of autoimmune disorders. I feel the diet helps us to make good choices and to say no to a lot of the junk that we would otherwise be eating without thinking about it.

NJceliac Apprentice
NJceliac
Posted

I know there is an association between miscarriage and celiac but I don't understand the relationship.

About 5 years ago I suffered my first miscarriage (13 weeks) after 5 healthy pregnancies and 1 happy adoption. I was 36 at the time. I silently worried it had been caused by stress due to my sister's cancer diagnosis and taking care of her 3 babies along with my own.

Within 6 weeks I was unexpectedly pregnant again with my 7th child and carried him successfully to term.

Finally, a year ago this month I again suffered a miscarriage and subsequent hemmorrhage also at 13 weeks. It was during my examination for this event I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis but no one mentioned what might have contributed to the loss.

I am at peace with the number of children we now have and not planning any more, but I guess, with the anniversary here and now knowing I have celiac (3 months gluten free) I am wondering anew what may have happened and if it might be due to celiac in any way. I also have concerns for my son who was born in the middle of the two. Do I need to be especially watchful if I had celiac while pregnant with him?

.

Thank you, and if this is not the appropriate place to post this topic, please advise and accept my apologies.

Given your age even without celiac you have a 30-35% chance of miscarriage. Even if you were thirteen weeks at time of diagnosis, how big was the pregnancy measuring and did the physician send the pregnancy tissue for chromosomal analysis? If the chromosomes were abnormal then most likely not related to celiac but the most common reason to have a miscarriage which is chromosomal abnormality that takes place at time sperm and egg meet (random or spontaneous event)

As far as your middle child, having diagnosed celiac or undiagnosed celiac during a pregnancy would not affect that child at this point. Undiagnosed celiac in pregnancy increases risk of small for size baby at birth or risk of intrauterine death.

If you are concerned about your children, you can consider genetic testing for them. Keep in mind 40% of US population will have genetic predisposition to develop celiac but only slightly less then 1% of US population is thought to have celiac (mostly undiagnosed by the way). So, if the children are at risk for developing celiac, you can then check their antibody titers every few years or if they develop symptoms. If they do not carry the genetic predisposition then they never have to worry about being celiac.

Glucose intolerance is a separate animal and at this point the guidelines are not nearly as clear as with celiac.

I hope this was helpful. University of Chicago has an excellent website especially on the topic of genetic testing.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      @Jane02, I hear you about the kale and collard greens. I don't do dairy and must eat green leafies, too, to get sufficient calcium. I must be very careful because some calcium supplements are made from ground up crustacean shells. When I was deficient in Vitamin D, I took high doses of Vitamin D to correct the deficiency quickly. This is safe...
    2. Jane02
      - Jane02 replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      Thank you so much @knitty kitty for this insightful information! I would have never considered fractionated coconut oil to be a potential source of GI upset. I will consider all the info you shared. Very interesting about the Thiamine deficiency. I've tracked daily averages of my intake in a nutrition software. The only nutrient I can't consistently...
    3. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      Hello, @Jane02, I take Naturewise D 3. It contains olive oil. Some Vitamin D supplements, like D Drops, are made with fractionated coconut oil which can cause digestive upsets. Fractionated coconut oil is not the same as coconut oil used for cooking. Fractionated coconut oil has been treated for longer shelf life, so it won't go bad in the...
    4. Scott Adams
      0

      Penobscot Bay, Maine: Nurturing Gluten-Free Wellness Retreat with expert celiac dietitian, Melinda Dennis

      until
      Hello! Join me and treat yourself to a four-day, three-night restorative gluten-free retreat in a peaceful, private coastal retreat setting near Penobscot Bay in Maine. Dates: April 10-13, 2026 Enjoy engaging classes...
    5. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      I do not know this, but since they are labelled gluten-free, and are not really a product that could easily be contaminated when making them (there would be not flour in the air of such a facility, for example), I don't really see contamination as something to be concerned about for this type of product.
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,333
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Donna Chem
    Newest Member
    Donna Chem
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @Jane02, I hear you about the kale and collard greens.  I don't do dairy and must eat green leafies, too, to get sufficient calcium.  I must be very careful because some calcium supplements are made from ground up crustacean shells.  When I was deficient in Vitamin D, I took high doses of Vitamin D to correct the deficiency quickly.  This is safe and nontoxic.  Vitamin D level should be above 70 nmol/L.  Lifeguards and indigenous Pacific Islanders typically have levels between 80-100 nmol/L.   Levels lower than this are based on amount needed to prevent disease like rickets and osteomalacia. We need more thiamine when we're physically ill, emotionally and mentally stressed, and if we exercise like an athlete or laborer.  We need more thiamine if we eat a diet high in simple carbohydrates.  For every 500 kcal of carbohydrates, we need 500-1000 mg more of thiamine to process the carbs into energy.  If there's insufficient thiamine the carbs get stored as fat.  Again, recommended levels set for thiamine are based on minimum amounts needed to prevent disease.  This is often not adequate for optimum health, nor sufficient for people with absorption problems such as Celiac disease.  Gluten free processed foods are not enriched with vitamins like their gluten containing counterparts.  Adding a B Complex and additional thiamine improves health for Celiacs.  Thiamine is safe and nontoxic even in high doses.  Thiamine helps the mitochondria in cells to function.  Thiamine interacts with each of the other B vitamins.  They are all water soluble and easily excreted if not needed. Interesting Reading: Clinical trial: B vitamins improve health in patients with coeliac disease living on a gluten-free diet https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19154566/ Safety and effectiveness of vitamin D mega-dose: A systematic review https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34857184/ High dose dietary vitamin D allocates surplus calories to muscle and growth instead of fat via modulation of myostatin and leptin signaling https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38766160/ Safety of High-Dose Vitamin D Supplementation: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31746327/ Vitamins and Celiac Disease: Beyond Vitamin D https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11857425/ Investigating the therapeutic potential of tryptophan and vitamin A in modulating immune responses in celiac disease: an experimental study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40178602/ Investigating the Impact of Vitamin A and Amino Acids on Immune Responses in Celiac Disease Patients https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10814138/
    • Jane02
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Jane02 · Posted

      Thank you so much @knitty kitty for this insightful information! I would have never considered fractionated coconut oil to be a potential source of GI upset. I will consider all the info you shared. Very interesting about the Thiamine deficiency.  I've tracked daily averages of my intake in a nutrition software. The only nutrient I can't consistently meet from my diet is vitamin D. Calcium is a hit and miss as I rely on vegetables, dark leafy greens as a major source, for my calcium intake. I'm able to meet it when I either eat or juice a bundle of kale or collard greens daily haha. My thiamine intake is roughly 120% of my needs, although I do recognize that I may not be absorbing all of these nutrients consistently with intermittent unintentional exposures to gluten.  My vitamin A intake is roughly 900% (~6400 mcg/d) of my needs as I eat a lot of sweet potato, although since it's plant-derived vitamin A (beta-carotene) apparently it's not likely to cause toxicity.  Thanks again! 
    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Hello, @Jane02,  I take Naturewise D 3.  It contains olive oil.   Some Vitamin D supplements, like D Drops, are made with fractionated coconut oil which can cause digestive upsets.  Fractionated coconut oil is not the same as coconut oil used for cooking.  Fractionated coconut oil has been treated for longer shelf life, so it won't go bad in the jar, and thus may be irritating to the digestive system. I avoid supplements made with soy because many people with Celiac Disease also react to soy.  Mixed tocopherols, an ingredient in Thornes Vitamin D, may be sourced from soy oil.  Kirkland's has soy on its ingredient list. I avoid things that might contain or be exposed to crustaceans, like Metagenics says on its label.  I have a crustacean/shellfish/fish allergy.  I like Life Extension Bioactive Complete B Complex.  I take additional Thiamine B 1 in the form Benfotiamine which helps the intestines heal, Life Extension MegaBenfotiamine. Thiamine is needed to activate Vitamin D.   Low thiamine can make one feel like they are getting glutened after a meal containing lots of simple carbohydrates like white rice, or processed gluten free foods like cookies and pasta.   It's rare to have a single vitamin deficiency.  The water soluble B Complex vitamins should be supplemented together with additional Thiamine in the form Benfotiamine and Thiamine TTFD (tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide) to correct subclinical deficiencies that don't show up on blood tests.  These are subclinical deficiencies within organs and tissues.  Blood is a transportation system.  The body will deplete tissues and organs in order to keep a supply of thiamine in the bloodstream going to the brain and heart.   If you're low in Vitamin D, you may well be low in other fat soluble vitamins like Vitamin A and Vitamin K. Have you seen a dietician?
    • Scott Adams
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I do not know this, but since they are labelled gluten-free, and are not really a product that could easily be contaminated when making them (there would be not flour in the air of such a facility, for example), I don't really see contamination as something to be concerned about for this type of product. 
    • trents
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By trents · Posted

      Contact them.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.