Eating peanuts during pregnancy

Thursday, 05 April 2007 03:00

A recent study carried out at The David Hide Asthma and Allergy Research Centre on the Isle of Wight has assessed whether women who avoided peanut consumption during pregnancy had any effect on the rate of peanut sensitisation in their children.

The study used data collected from babies born between September 2001 and August 2002 in a 2-year cohort study on the Isle of Wight. As well as completing a medical history questionnaire relating to any allergies in the immediate family, expectant mothers also completed a food frequency questionnaire giving details of their eating habits during pregnancy, which included questions about peanut avoidance. At two years of age, and with parent’s consent, the infants were given a skin prick test with a commercial extract of peanut allergen.

Skin prick tests showed that 13 out of 660 children (approx 2%) were sensitised to peanuts and of these, 11 had a family history of atopy. Ten of the 13 mothers said they had avoided peanuts during pregnancy. From these results, it appears that maternal consumption of peanuts during pregnancy was not associated with peanut sensitisation. This is contrary to the UK’s 1998 Department of Health advice issued by the Committee on Toxicity in Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) which recommended women avoided eating peanuts while pregnant.

Journal reference: Dean T, Venter C, Grundy J, Clayton CB, Higgins B. (2007) 'Government advice on peanut avoidance during pregnancy - is it followed correctly and what is the impact on sensitization?' Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 20, 95-99.