Pregnancy and celiac disease
Celiac disease is one in which the small intestine is unable to absorb and assimilate gluten, a protein found in many cereals such as wheat, oats, barley, etc. The disease can appear in childhood, although in recent times there are many cases of late diagnosis, already in adulthood. But, what happen
Celiac disease is one in which the small intestine is unable to absorb and assimilate gluten, a protein found in many cereals such as wheat, oats, barley, etc. The disease can appear in childhood, although in recent times there are many cases of late diagnosis, already in adulthood.
But, what happens when the pregnant woman is a celiac? What kind of food should she take? What are the risks? In Guiainfantil.com we clarify it.
How the undiagnosed celiac disease affects pregnancy
The diagnosis of celiac disease is simple, if the disease is suspected due to certain symptoms: stomach pain, diarrhea, weight loss, anemia, etc. An analysis is made in which antibodies and an intestinal villus biopsy appear, which give rise to the diagnosis.
This disease causes alterations in the fertility of both men and women, difficulty in getting pregnant, miscarriages are often the result of undiagnosed celiac disease.
Some women discover just during pregnancy that they are celiac, due to weight loss, diarrhea among others, which occurs during the 9 months of pregnancy. This can affect pregnant women celiac disease:
- In pregnancy, due to intestinal malabsorption has been seen that tissue is damaged trophoblastic, precursor of the placenta, an essential organ for the proper development of the embryo. That is why the risk of abortion in these women becomes more than double that of the population not ill or with treatment. Además - It has also been seen that it may be related to CIUR,
delayed intrauterine growth , preterm deliveries, etc.What is the treatment for pregnant celiacs
- If the woman has
celiac disease and is diagnosed and puts treatment before pregnancy, her pregnancy will not be different from any other. - The treatment is based on gluten-free diet, betting on fresh, seasonal foods: fruit, vegetables, fish, lean meat, gluten-free cereals, etc. Fortunately, the offer for this type of people is increasingly wide, allowing even elaborate desserts to be allowed.
- Regarding the baby, there are no differences either.
The diet of a celiac woman is complete and varied , with the presence of all the nutrients and essential elements to make her healthy for both mother and baby.So the key, as for any other woman, is a healthy, varied diet free of gluten and moderate exercise. And early diagnosis is essential to avoid complications during pregnancy.
