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Previous news releases associated untreated CD with pregnancy problems.  A
new study now concludes maybe it ain't so.  I guess this subject will keep
the reseachers employed for a while.

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Gut. 2004 Jan;53(1):149-51

Undiagnosed coeliac disease does not appear to be associated with
unfavourable outcome of pregnancy.

Greco L, Veneziano A, Di Donato L, Zampella C, Pecoraro M, Paladini D,
Paparo F, Vollaro A, Martinelli P.

Department of Paediatrics and Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of
Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.

BACKGROUND: In a previous hospital based study, we suggested that
undiagnosed coeliac disease has a prevalence, among pregnant women, of
1:80, and is a cause of unfavourable outcome of pregnancy. AIMS: In order
to confirm or dismiss this hypothesis, which has significant public health
implications, we carried out a large population based study on a stratified
sample from the whole Campania region. PATIENTS: During the period of the
study, 5345 women were admitted to the OBS-GYN wards regional network: 5055
(95%) were enrolled in the study. METHODS: Antihuman IgA class antitissue
transglutaminase (TGASE) antibodies were tested by an ELISA method.
Endomysial antibodies (EMA) were investigated on thin sections of human
cord blood by an immunofluorescence test. The HLA class II
DQA1*0501/DQB1*02 and DQA1*0301/DQB1*0302 haplotypes were assessed using
the Eurospital Eu-DQ kit. Duodenal biopsy was not considered feasible by
the ethics committee for pregnant women near delivery. RESULTS: Fifty one
of 5055 patients had confirmed positive results. We added to these 12 women
with known coeliac disease, giving a prevalence rate for coeliac disease of
1:80 (exactly the value observed during the first study). Comparing the 51
TGASE positive with 4997 negative women, we did not observe an excess risk
of abortion, premature delivery, small birth weight, or intrauterine growth
retardation. Anaemia was more frequent in cases than controls. CONCLUSIONS:
Undiagnosed coeliac disease is frequent among pregnant women (>1%) but is
not associated with an unfavourable outcome of pregnancy.

PMID: 14684590 [PubMed - in process]

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