How does celiac disease affect pregnancy?

Untreated celiac disease can affect a woman's pregnancy by making it difficult to conceive and often hard to carry a baby to term. When a woman's body is unable to absorb necessary nutrients to regulate their hormones, her menstrual cycle may be affected and some woman stop ovulating completely. Nearly 40 percent of woman with untreated celiac disease suffer from irregular periods and without regular ovulation it is often difficult to get pregnant

Women with untreated celiac disease often have difficulty keeping their pregnancy. Miscarriage may occur due to lack of nutrients needed to keep the pregnancy as well as complications with the placenta adhering properly to your uterus due to celiac disease.

Once celiac disease is treated, most women see their cycle return to normal and pregnancy issues due to celiac disease are resolved. It is recommended to talk to your doctor before trying to conceive after you have begun treatment for celiac disease. Your doctor may recommend that you wait to get pregnant anywhere from six months to 2 years after treatment for celiac disease has begun. Blood panels and tests can be performed to confirm that your body is in a healthy condition to support a pregnancy.