Peanut Allergy: Should Pregnant Women Avoid Eating Peanuts?

In recent years medical investigators have determined that advice given by doctors to pregnant women about allergy risks and diet may not have had a sound basis. Studies looking at the risk of peanut allergy in those who consumed peanuts during pregnancy compared to those who avoided them failed to show a significant difference. Well, the momentum has begun to swing back in the opposite direction based on a new study linked below.

I have always thought that the more logical explanation for peanut, tree nut or shellfish allergy showing up in infancy was because of exposure to these food allergy proteins while in utero (before birth while in the mother's uterus). Allergic sensitivity arises from an initial sensitizing event (usually silent, not felt) followed by a period of being hypersensitive whereupon re-exposure to the allergen, a reaction occurs. The linked study suggests this sensitizing may occur in pregnancy.

So what is the future mom to do? Discuss this with her doctor. See an allergist if there is a serious concern about allergy risks, especially if there is a family history of allergy or asthma. My preference, currently is to have my pregnant patients avoid all nuts and shellfish during pregnancy (but that's my own opinion at this time) since avoidance of these particular foods should not result in a nutritional deficiency.

What do you think? Hit me back at AllergyQA@aol.comif you don't want to directly post. I'll post your question and my response to this site. I'm also on Facebook (check out the link in the header above!)

Here is the link on Peanut Allergy and Infant Risk