title: [Fatal rickets in the fetus and undiagnosed maternal celiac disease].
abstract: Celiac disease is a relatively frequent enteropathy associated with a wide range of clinical manifestations, due in part to malabsorption. In women, it has been associated with obstetric and gynecological alterations such as repeated miscarriages, intrauterine growth delay, premature delivery, and low birth weight. We present the case of a woman with undiagnosed celiac disease who gave birth to a stillborn foetus via normal delivery after 34 weeks of gestation. The foetus presented severe morphological alterations due to hypomineralization which were compatible with rickets. In the medical literature congenital rickets secondary to maternal celiac disease due to malabsorption is rare. We discuss the current knowledge on maternofoetal phospho-calcium metabolism and relate active celiac disease with severe hypocalcaemia during pregnancy and fatal rickets in the foetus. We recommend screening for celiac disease in pregnant women with signs of malabsorption or impaired fetal development.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu de Manresa, Althaia, Xarxa Assistencial de Manresa, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Soler-Bel
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Veganzones
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Navarro
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Serra-Buxeda
authors.forename: Joan Carles
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Ferreres
mesh_terms: D002446:Celiac Disease; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D012279:Rickets / Q000150:complications*