Pregnancy and celiac disease: nutritional recommendations

Celiac disease conditions the lifestyle of the person, in any circumstance. But you have to be more careful during pregnancy, since a dietary error at this stage can negatively impact the health of the fetus. Anyway, it is possible to develop pregnancy without problems, even if you have this disease.

It must be borne in mind that this pathology is autoimmune and chronic. At present, there is no known effective solution or treatment for it. The only method of managing it is by eliminating gluten from the diet, since it is this protein that causes the reaction at the intestinal level.

How can celiac disease affect pregnancy?

It is necessary to emphasize that celiac disease can condition the chances of conception, according to an investigation published in Gastroenterology and Hepatology from Bed to Bench. Also supposes a handicap for the nutritional contribution during the own stage of gestation.

It carries no added health risks as such, as long as gluten is not ingested. If the latter is not considered, it is possible to experience episodes of diarrhea, vomiting and inflammation that can affect the health of the fetus.

For this reason, you have to be very meticulous in preparing your diet, as it is necessary to avoid exposure to protein, since all the symptoms are generated from this, as evidenced by a study published in the journal Gastroenterology Clinics of North America.

To know more: What are the foods that contain gluten?

Possible complications

As we have mentioned, there is no greater risk when the diet is gluten-free. However, if protein is consumed, even traces of it, the health of the fetus could be put at risk due to an inadequate supply of nutrients. This can be conditioned by diarrhea or vomiting.

Of course, there is some research that ensures that the risk of premature birth increases when the mother has undiagnosed celiac disease. In addition, in some cases it is related to an increased risk of abortion due to problems in the implantation of the embryo.

When to see a doctor?

Celiac disease can manifest itself in varying degrees of intensity. For this reason, if you feel tired frequently and do not know why, or if you experience digestive problems after consuming foods with gluten (such as bread or pasta), it is good that you go to the doctor.

The professional may perform a series of diagnostic tests to confirm the existence of the disease. From here, it will be necessary to carry out an effective dietary management.

It must be taken into account that, even when there are no obvious clinical or symptomatological manifestations, the consumption of gluten represents a risk to the health of people with this pathology. Specifically, it generates constant inflammation and increases the risk of developing tumors associated with the digestive tract.

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Nutritional recommendations for pregnancy with celiac disease

When the disease is detected, it is important to suppress all contact with gluten. You should always choose the varieties of cereals and derived products without protein. At the same time, it is advisable to take special care with the cooking methods, since protein residue on cookware could cause an adverse reaction.

In the case of eating out, it is necessary to notify the situation so that the necessary precautions are fulfilled from the kitchens. Likewise, it is necessary to pay attention to the nutritional labels of processed products, as they always contain an allergen statement.

Can the baby inherit celiac disease?

Celiac disease has a genetic component. For this reason, if the mother has developed the pathology, the chances that the child will also have it are increased.

However, this is not always the case. Simply, there is an increased risk determined by genetic transmission. To be more exact, this risk increases by 10% compared to that existing when the parents have not developed this disease.

Celiac disease in pregnancy, an important conditioner

As discussed, celiac disease can reduce the chances of conception and affect the development of the fetus when proper precautions are not taken. The main thing here is a correct diagnosis of the condition, since the risks increase when the mother does not know the situation.

Once the problem has been described, it is important to consider a gluten-free diet for life, as any contact with the protein should be avoided. Otherwise, it is possible to experience intestinal problems, which are complicated in the case of pregnancy because they condition the supply of nutrients to the fetus.