Infertility in Celiac Patients

Well, I am announcing to everyone…I am pregnant. It is 15 weeks today. OMG. That has been the theme around here. But it really caused me to ponder how my body works. I have never been on birth control and yet for 10 years there were no pregnancies. How fascinating that after my husband and I entered a world of gluten free living, and for the past 18 months have allowed our bodies to heal from the damage and inflammation that gluten intolerance and Celiac can cause, we became pregnant. Well, I did anyway, although at times I really wish I could have put some of the nausea on him! But it really peaked my interest because as you might recall, in my previous articles I mentioned infertility as a definite symptom in Celiac disease.

So why is it that fertility specialists don’t add this as something to investigate when dealing with infertility issues? A study in the medical journal Human Reproduction identified gluten sensitivity in as many as 8% of women with unexplained fertility problems. The following conditions are known to contribute to fertility issues in both men and women. They are also linked to gluten sensitivity:

• PCOS – poly cystic ovarian syndrome
• Diabetes
• Amenorrhea (absence of menstrual cycle)
• Hypothyroidism
• Disorders of the endocrine system
• Nutrient malabsorption
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Spontaneous abortion
• Multiple miscarriages
• Low sperm count in men
• Low sperm motility
• Abnormal sperm shape

If you are having any of these symptoms and you are trying to get pregnant, check with your doctor about being screened for gluten sensitivity or try following my plan for a gluten free life style. Remember to be patient. For some it may be 40+ years that you have been eating gluten. It will take some time for your body to heal. I guess in my case, the magic number was 16 months. Stay tuned…there will definitely be more excitement to follow!  Source: Human Reproduction; 14(11):2759-61 1999

It is hard to find the perfect food to eat when you are pregnant. Most food that you once devoured and loved sounds completely disgusting. In fact, I can’t even be in the same room with my family when they are eating any of my yummy baked goods. Here is a recipe that I have been able to tolerate. It is full of calcium and good fats and is sure to help when you are hungry and on the go.

Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:
1 package of gluten free pasta
½ cup sour cream
1 cup plain rice milk
1 T cornstarch
8 oz. shredded jack/chedder blended cheese
1 T butter
½ cup crushed gluten free corn flakes

Directions:
Cook Past in boiling water for 9 minutes.
Drain and set aside.
In small bowl mix cornstarch with milk. Add to butter and cook stirring constantly to thicken.
Add cheese to sauce and cook slowly to melt.
Add sour cream.
Add salt to taste.
Combine sauce with pasta and cover top with crushed corn flakes.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Serves 6.