Gluten allergy linked to earlier menopause

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Women with untreated celiac disease may hit menopause earlier, and have a higher risk of some pregnancy complications, than women without the disease, suggests a small study.

However, if women with celiac disease are diagnosed early, and follow a strict diet as treatment, the findings suggest they won’t go through menopause any earlier than disease-free women.

Celiac disease affects “the whole spectrum of the reproductive career of women,” said Dr. Shawky Badawy, the head of obstetrics and gynecology at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York.