The Anonymous Widower

Female Fertility and Coeliac Disease

BBC Breakfast this morning is carrying a report saying that all women at thirty should have a fertility test.  I sent them this e-mail.

I am a coeliac, which means I have low B12 and folate levels unless I’m on a gluten-free diet. In a man this does not matter with regards fertility, but with some women undiagnosed low B12 levels means that they don’t conceive or carry to full term. I know personally of three women diagnosed at coeliacs in their earlier thirties, who cut out gluten and then very easily had the children they wanted.

I doubt they’ll read it out.

But if I trace my family back a couple of generations to where I think I’ve enherited my coeliac gene, I can’t find any woman who has given birth.  Was that due to low B12, due to that gene.

August 10, 2009 - Posted by AnonW | Health | Childbirth, Coeliac/Gluten-Free