Adverse pregnancy outcomes in women with celiac disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes in women affected with celiac disease (CD), and to further estimate the impact of early disease diagnosis and subsequent adherence to a gluten-free diet (GFD) on obstetric complications.

A systematic search for English language observational studies was conducted in Medline, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library, from inception till April 2022, to identify relevant studies reporting on the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes in women with CD. Odds ratios (OR) and relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to combine data from case-control and cohort studies, respectively. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale.

In total, 14 cohort and 4 case-control studies were included and our analysis demonstrated that the risk for spontaneous abortion (RR 1.35, 95%CI 1.10-1.65), fetal growth restriction (RR 1.68, 95%CI 1.34-2.10), stillbirth (RR 1.57, 95%CI 1.17-2.10), preterm delivery (RR 1.29, 95%CI 1.12-1.49), cesarean delivery (RR 1.10, 95%CI 1.03-1.16) and lower mean birthweight (mean difference -176.08, 95%CI -265.79 to -86.38) was significantly higher in pregnant women with CD. The subgroup analysis demonstrated that only undiagnosed CD increased risk for fetal growth restriction, stillbirth, preterm delivery and lower mean birthweight, whereas early diagnosis of CD was not linked to any adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Undiagnosed CD is associated with a higher risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Early CD diagnosis and appropriate management with GFD may ameliorate these associations.