A small study in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine has found a possible connection between undiagnosed celiac disease – in which the lining of the small intestine is damaged, preventing it from absorbing nutritious foods – and unexplained fertility. Though the rate of undiagnosed celiac disease in the 188 women studied was just over 2 percent, the researchers found that nearly 6 percent of the women who had received no explanation for their infertility had undiagnosed celiac disease.
More research definitely needs to be done, especially because the sample size of this study was very small. Still, the scientists concluded their paper by saying that women with unexplained infertility may be at increased risk for celiac disease, which may be a risk factor they can improve, thereby also increasing their chances for conception. The four patients in the study who were found to have celiac disease conceived within a year of diagnosis, reported the news site Sciencedaily.com.
Celiac disease can be controlled by following a gluten-free diet – one that is free of foods such as wheat, barley, rye and possibly oats, since eating gluten causes the reaction that leads to symptoms such as abdominal pain, gas, bloating, and constipation – making it a relatively easy and low-cost way to potentially improve a woman’s odds for conception.
Do you have celiac disease? If so, how do you manage it? Are you dealing with unexplained infertility?
