Fertility disorder associated with celiac disease

fact or fiction?

One recent study showed that celiac disease has a higher prevalence in those with infertility compared to those with normal fertility. This study examined 100 Iranian couples with unexplained infertility and found that 13 infertile subjects (6.5%) had bloodwork that indicated celiac disease, compared to 11 in the control group (2.8%). This study shows that there is a 2.4 fold higher chance of having celiac disease in those with unexplained infertility compared to normal.

This study does not show any causal links, only associations. However, in couples with unexplained infertility, it may be worth ruling out whether either partner has undiagnosed celiac disease (gluten sensitivity).

Reference: Khoshbaten M, et al. Fertility disorder associated with celiac disease in males and females: fact or fiction: J Obstet Gynaecol Res. 2011 May 11. doi: 10.1111/j.1447-0756.2010.01518.x [Epub]