11 Unexpected Symptoms Of Gluten Intolerance During Pregnancy
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Are you stepping into the completely new world of motherhood? Are you experiencing extreme health discomfort of abdominal pain or constipation? Did your medical consultant diagnose you to be gluten intolerant? If yes, reading the following post can be a great idea!
What Is Gluten?
Gluten is composite protein present in wheat, barley, and rye products. Gluten is a harmless element and is a beneficial part of the food grain. But there are individuals, allergic to gluten. Gluten intolerance can induce several symptoms and health discomforts. If you are pregnant as well as gluten intolerant, keep your diet free from gluten-rich foods (1).
Symptoms Of Gluten Intolerance During Pregnancy:
Some of the common symptoms of gluten intolerance during pregnancy are:
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Weight loss
- Bone and joint pain
- Headaches
- Bloating
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Irritable bowel
- Abdominal pain
If you experience any of these symptoms during pregnancy, it can induce either due to gluten intolerance or celiac disease. It is advisable to consult your doctor and let him know about your visible symptoms. The doctor can suggest the best diet plan; to help you stay healthy.
Prolonged gluten intolerance accompanied with morning sickness can cause loss of weight and lead to pregnancy complexities during your first trimester (2).
Diagnosing Gluten Intolerance During Pregnancy:
As gluten is an insoluble antigen, it is difficult to diagnose gluten tolerance through simple laboratory tests. You can perform effective diagnosis of gluten intolerance through an elimination diet. Normally, if you are intolerant to gluten, you may also develop intolerance towards lactose present in milk. Hence, eliminate both gluten and dairy products from your pregnancy diet plan. If the symptoms disappear, you can be a sure victim of gluten intolerance.
Complications Induced For Gluten Intolerance During Pregnancy:
Undiagnosed gluten intolerance can induce several health discomforts including neurological disorders, intestinal ulceration, and even intestinal cancer. If you have minor gluten intolerance, you can encounter symptoms of gastrointestinal discomfort, whenever you eat certain foods.
With time, the gluten breaks down along the lining of your small intestine and can lead to severe damage and inflammation in the lining. Your intestine may become inactive to absorb food nutrients, and it can induce malnutrition during your pregnancy. Severe malnutrition is harmful to the growing fetus, and you can suffer from pregnancy complexities.
Some of the complexities of gluten intolerance during pregnancy include:
- Preterm Labor
- Low-birth-weight of the newborn baby
- Anemia
- Complications of stillbirth
- Gestational diabetes
- Depression
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Schizophrenia (3)
Treating Gluten Intolerance During Pregnancy:
If you are gluten intolerant, follow a strict gluten-free diet during pregnancy. By eliminating gluten from your pregnancy diet plan, you can allow your intestines to heal and be able to absorb vital nutrients from other foods. (4)
- During pregnancy, it is important for your body to consume sufficient amounts of fiber, iron, folic acid and calcium. You need to include nutritious foods such as fresh meat, cheese, organic fruits, vegetables and rice in your diet plan. Take a note of the calories intake and maintain a healthy body weight throughout your pregnancy period.
- Intake of folic acid supplements can help to prevent birth defects and enhance the neurological development of the growing fetus.
- Drink plenty of fluid and prevent symptoms of dehydration during pregnancy.
- After the birth of your baby, stick to a gluten-free diet. During the breastfeeding phase, your child can inherit the condition of gluten intolerance from you. For the health concerns of your little one, refrain from eating gluten-rich food.
Did you suffer from gluten intolerance in your pregnancy period? Did you suffer from any health discomforts? Share your advice with other mommies here!
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