FAQ

I’m sure like most people, I am really interested in the why? Why have I suddenly got coeliac disease - I’m 41 and very recently diagnosed. I have read that you can be born with the coeliac gene, so firstly is this true? And secondly, I’ve read that things like heavy stress on the body and pregnancy can trigger the autoimmune response, is this also true?

Many people are born with genes that can increase the risk for coeliac disease. However, this does not mean that they go on to develop the disease. Other factors outside of the genetics of a person could also play a role. Unfortunately, there is not a lot known about the factors other than genes that could trigger or increase risk of getting coeliac disease.

So, increased levels of stress or childbirth could potentially play a role, but there is no scientific evidence that supports this. A lot of groups are trying to understand the factors other than genetics that play a role, so hopefully we will know more in the future.

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