Pregnant women need not avoid peanuts, evidence shows

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-12/bch-pwn122013.php

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 23-Dec-2013

Contact: Meghan Weber
Boston Children's Hospital

Peanut and tree nut allergy incidence lower among children whose mothers ate them during pregnancy

BOSTON (Dec. 23, 2013)—Women need not fear that eating peanuts during pregnancy could cause their child to develop a peanut allergy, according to a new study from Boston Children's Hospital published online Dec. 23 in JAMA Pediatrics.

"Our study showed increased peanut consumption by pregnant mothers who weren't nut allergic was associated with lower risk of peanut allergy in their offspring," says the study's senior author Michael Young, MD, of Boston Children's Division of Allergy and Immunology. "Assuming she isn't allergic to peanuts, there's no reason for a woman to avoid peanuts during pregnancy."

-----