Frequently Asked Questions
What is the prevalence for others in my family to have celiac disease since I’ve been diagnosed with it?
Celiac disease has an inherited component. Thus, the prevalence of celiac disease in first-degree relatives (such as children, parents, siblings) has been reported by numerous studies around the world to be significantly higher than in the general population. The actual prevalence varies among the published studies, between 4 and 16%. Our own experience when testing for celiac disease in first-degree relatives is a prevalence around 5 to 10%, hence the need to screen every first-degree relative. In second-degree relatives (such as aunts, uncles, and grandparents), the prevalence is around 2.5%. May, 2017