By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    grief
    Coping With Depression from Loss After a Preventable Accident
    November 14, 2024
    medical research
    The Key to Medical Progress in Clinical Trials
    March 13, 2025
    HIPPA compliance
    How Medical Office Staff Can Make Your Practice HIPAA Compliant
    October 29, 2021
    Latest News
    7 Most Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs: Which Should You Use?
    August 20, 2025
    Hospital Pest Control and the Fight Against Superbugs
    August 20, 2025
    Hygiene Beyond The Clinic: Attention To Overlooked Non-Clinical Spaces
    August 13, 2025
    5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
    August 3, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Image
    Emergency Room – Don’t Use It For Primary Care!
    March 19, 2013
    Encouraging Medicare News From Senate Republicans
    March 17, 2012
    chronic disease
    Lifestyles Cause Most Serious Disease and Deaths
    May 25, 2013
    Latest News
    How Social Security Disability Shapes Access to Care and Everyday Health
    August 22, 2025
    How a DUI Lawyer Can Help When Your Future Health Feels Uncertain
    August 22, 2025
    How One Fall Can Lead to a Long Road of Medical Complications
    August 22, 2025
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: A High Fiber Diet During Pregnancy May Reduce Celiac Risk In Children
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Specialties > Pregnancy > A High Fiber Diet During Pregnancy May Reduce Celiac Risk In Children
PregnancySpecialties

A High Fiber Diet During Pregnancy May Reduce Celiac Risk In Children

Kara Reynolds
Kara Reynolds
Share
7 Min Read
SHARE

 

Contents
  • What is Celiac Disease?
  • How Can Fiber Help?
  • What Can I Do?

As soon as a woman finds out she’s going to be a mom, her instincts to care for and protect her child will kick in. As such, pregnant women do all they can to ensure they deliver a healthy baby ? they avoid potentially harmful foods, take vitamins, cut down on caffeine and regularly visit the doctor to make sure everything goes smoothly.

Along with these must-dos, pregnant women today should consider adding a healthy dose of fiber into their diets pre-baby, too. It turns out that a mother’s fiber consumption can affect her child in that it can ward off celiac disease.

What is Celiac Disease?

One in every 100 people suffers from celiac disease

More Read

Gynecomastia
Myths Surrounding Gynecomastia and Whether They are True or Not
Top 10 New Technologies In Dentistry
Eat to Conceive – A Nutritional Guide to Improve Fertility
How To Take Care Of Your Bone Health In Your Forties
What is Cancer Supportive Care and How Can It Help Cancer Patients?

, and an estimated 2.5 million American suffer from it without a doctor’s diagnosis. The autoimmune disorder flares up every time a person eats gluten ? when it enters the system, it triggers an immune system response. This reaction negatively affects the small intestine, damaging the villi that line the organ. When functioning properly, the villi aid in nutrient absorption so, without them, those with celiac disease don’t get proper nutrition from their food.

Celiac disease can be the precursor for several other diseases. Those with celiac are twice as likely to develop coronary artery disease and four times as likely to suffer from bowel cancer. Plus, it can cause other immune disorders, including type I diabetes. Others have dealt with migraines, infertility, anemia, epilepsy, and more because of their celiac.

As of now, no treatment exists for celiac disease. Instead, those who have it take care of themselves by eating a completely gluten-free diet. This means that they either ingest naturally gluten-free foods or those that have been stripped of their glutenous elements. They have to, considering the seriousness of the disorder, as well as the immune system’s sensitivity ? something as small as a breadcrumb can trigger a damaging response.

How Can Fiber Help?

A massive study in Norway analyzed the effects of fiber on women’s unborn children. Researchers gathered data from a staggering 88,000 mothers who gave birth between 1999 and 2009. They asked each woman about her fiber and gluten intake, specifically during her 22nd week of pregnancy. They then kept track of the children over an 11-year period to see if the children developed celiac disease.

Looking at all of the data, researchers found a connection between fiber and celiac disease. Namely, the moms who ate more than 45 grams of fiber each day ? the highest tier of fiber intake ? were nearly 35% less likely to have a child who would later be diagnosed with celiac. This percentage was computed in comparison to the mothers who ate 19 grams of fiber or less per day.

From there, the researchers revealed that, for every 10-gram increase in fiber in the mothers’ diets, their children had an 8 percent smaller chance of developing celiac. And they found that specific types of fiber contributed to a lowered chance of having celiac ? those who got fiber from fruits and vegetables, as opposed to grains, bestowed the lowest risk of the autoimmune disease upon their children.

With these findings in mind, doctors came up with a theory as to why a mother’s fiber intake could affect her child later on. They theorized that her diet could affect her child’s gut flora ? those with celiac have an out-of-the-ordinary gut microbiome, which fiber could perhaps prevent.

Still, the researchers did remind the public that their findings were preliminary and that they couldn’t yet make recommendations as to how much fiber a pregnant woman should consume. As of now, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists suggest that pregnant women eat 25 grams of fiber each day, 20 grams less than the mothers whose children were less likely to develop celiac.

What Can I Do?

Even though researchers and doctors have yet to increase the recommended fiber intake for pregnant women, it’s still a good idea to make sure you’re eating enough if you’re expecting a child. There are plenty of foods that naturally contain digestion-boosting fiber, and you can find a slew of tricks for eating more of them.

For starters, make sure you include vegetables with every meal and that you’re actually eating them ? start with your greens, then branch out into other areas of the plate. To that end, reach for fruit when you start feeling peckish for a snack. Or, fill a bowl with hot popcorn, since the movie theater snack has a ton of fiber, too.

Ultimately, it’s all about balance. Pregnant women shouldn’t follow restrictive diets, nor should they give themselves license to eat sweets or salty foods all day long. In most cases, a woman will up her calorie intake by about 300 per day. Be sure your meal plan is replete with produce, protein, healthy fats and grains.

With that, you’re well on your way to caring for your baby long before he or she comes into the world. And, as a mom-to-be, that’s all you could ever want ? a healthy bundle of joy that you get to love for a lifetime to come.

TAGGED:diet during pregnancyfiberhigh fiber dietparenthoodpregnancy
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share
By Kara Reynolds
Follow:
Kara Reynolds is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Momish Magazine, an inclusive parenting magazine filled with parenting hacks, advice, and more to keep your beautiful family thriving. As a mom and stepmom, Kara hopes to normalize blended families and wants her readers to know that every family is beautiful and messy just how they are. When she's not writing, Kara enjoys pilates and likes a little coffee with her cream. Find more from Kara on Twitter @MomishMagazine.

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

engineer fitting prosthetic arm
How Social Security Disability Shapes Access to Care and Everyday Health
Health care
August 20, 2025
a woman explaining the document
How a DUI Lawyer Can Help When Your Future Health Feels Uncertain
Public Health
August 20, 2025
physiotherapist at work
How One Fall Can Lead to a Long Road of Medical Complications
Health care
August 20, 2025
Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs
7 Most Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs: Which Should You Use?
Health News
August 20, 2025

You Might also Like

don't ignore dental health
Dental healthSpecialties

Why Dental Health Shouldn’t Be Ignored

November 25, 2020

New Tool Searches Nursing Home Deficiencies

October 25, 2012
Home HealthSpecialtiesWellness

Produce Shopping Tips For Ensuring Food Safety

April 23, 2019

Imaging Portals Drive Patient Engagement and Satisfaction

February 18, 2015
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?