Celiac disease, or a sensitivity to gluten, affects mostly the digestive system. However, its symptoms are not restricted to digestive problems. In fact, it's one of the primary medical causes of amenorrhea, or missing periods, in women, and can lead to infertility if not treated with a gluten-free diet.
Celiac Disease Symptoms
Gluten is a type of protein that occurs in the grains wheat, rye and barley. If you have celiac disease, consuming this protein causes your immune system to attack the lining of your small intestines. Obvious symptoms of celiac disease usually involve the digestive system, and often include diarrhea, constipation and stomach pain. However, celiac disease may not present many symptoms at all, especially in its earliest form. In some women, the only symptoms they notice are irregular periods, amenorrhea or infertility.
Amenorrhea
Amenorrhea is common in women who are diagnosed with celiac disease. In a study published in August 2010 in the medical journal "BMC Gastroenterology," Italian researchers studied reproduction in 62 women with celiac disease, comparing them to 186 healthy control subjects. They found amenorrhea in nearly 20 percent of the women with celiac disease, compared to just 2.2 percent of the healthy controls. In addition, many celiac women start their periods late, a condition called "primary amenorrhea."
Gluten-Free Diet
If you have celiac disease, following a strict gluten-free diet represents your only current treatment option; there are no approved medications to treat celiac. Fortunately, a gluten-free diet probably will reverse your amenorrhea and restore your fertility. According to the Italian study in "BMC Gastroenterology," celiac women who ate strictly gluten-free after their diagnosis tended to resolve their menstrual cycle disorders, including their amenorrhea and their infertility. However, cheating on the diet, even occasionally, could lead to a return of menstrual symptoms, including amenorrhea.
Considerations
Following a strict gluten-free diet can be challenging when you've been diagnosed with celiac disease; you need to read labels carefully and learn where gluten can hide. However, sticking to your treatment plan may help you resolve more health issues than just amenorrhea or associated infertility. Osteoporosis and other autoimmune disorders occur more often in people with celiac disease who fail to follow the gluten-free diet. In addition, you run a risk of a celiac-related cancer if you cheat on your gluten-free diet.
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