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Eating peanuts during pregnancy may increase children's risk of food allergies

Category: Allergy Testing

Women who ate large quantities of nuts during their pregnancy may want to seek food allergy testing for their children. A new study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology has found that children whose mothers ate a lot of nuts are more likely to have peanut allergies.

Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine administered food allergy tests to 503 newborns who were suspected of having the disorder. They then administered food questionnaires to their mothers.

The findings showed that mothers who consumed the highest levels of peanuts during pregnancy were significantly more likely to have a child born with peanut allergies.

"Peanut allergy is serious, usually persistent, potentially fatal, and appears to be increasing in prevalence," said Scott Sicherer, who led the study. "While our study does not definitively indicate that pregnant women should not eat peanut products during pregnancy, it highlights the need for further research in order make recommendations about dietary restrictions."

Peanut allergies are a growing problem. The number of children experiencing the condition has risen dramatically in recent years, and can potentially lead to death in severe cases.