Maternal celiac disease: improbable risk factor for neural tube defect.
OBJECTIVE
To verify the existence of possible relation between maternal celiac disease (CD) and the appearance of neural tube defects (NTD) in the newborn serological testing in 208 mothers with NTD-affected pregnancy were performed.


METHODS
All sera were tested for total serum immunoglobulin A (IgA) levels and for IgA class endomysial antibody using indirect immunofluorescence technique. Participant age ranged from 19 to 43 years (mean: 33 years). None had been previously investigated for or had a family history of CD.


RESULTS
Immunoglobulin levels were normal and results of the IgA-endomysial antibody tests were negative in all women tested.


CONCLUSIONS
This study, although nonconclusive, did not corroborate earlier findings described in the literature of increased frequency of CD in mothers with a history of NTD-affected pregnancy. At this moment we feel that a routine screening for CD in pregnant women to avoid a possible pregnancy aggravated by NTD would not be justifiable.
Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Brasília School of Health Sciences, Brasilia, DF, Brazil.
Rodrigo Coutinho
RC
de Almeida
Benicio Oton
BO
Lima
Luiz Claudio
LC
Castro
Lenora
L
Gandolfi
Riccardo
R
Pratesi
D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D005492:Folic Acid