Is it safe to eat peanuts when you're pregnant?

Publication Date:01/10/2007

It's hard enough following all the advice about what is and isn't safe to eat in pregnancy. It doesn't help when experts don't agree. Unfortunately, that's the situation with peanuts at the moment. Nobody really knows whether eating peanuts in pregnancy can increase or decrease the chances of your baby getting a peanut allergy. We look at the research so far, and explain why it's in the news.

What do we know already?

The numbers of children becoming allergic to peanuts has gone up a lot in the last 15 years. About 1 in 70 children are now allergic to peanuts, compared to about 1 in 200 in 1992. Some people with peanut allergies only get mild symptoms, but for others peanut allergy is more serious. If a child with a bad peanut allergy eats peanuts, they might get anaphylaxis. This is a severe allergic reaction where people may have swelling around the mouth and throat, making it hard to breathe. Anaphylaxis can also cause heart problems and a drop in blood pressure, leading to weakness and fainting. It can be life-threatening.

No-one knows why peanut allergy has been increasing. One theory is that people eat more peanuts than they used to, for example, in peanut butter, or as ingredients in other foods like biscuits and ready-made curry sauces. Some doctors think that if a baby or young child eats lots of peanuts at an early age, it might make them more likely to get a peanut allergy. And some think that the same could happen if a pregnant or breastfeeding woman eats peanuts. But not all doctors agree about this.

The Department of Health advises pregnant women to avoid peanuts if they, or their partner or children, have an allergic condition. This could include food allergies, hayfever, eczema or asthma. It also advises these women to avoid peanuts while breastfeeding, and not to give their children peanuts until they are at least three years old. The Department of Health based its advice on a report published in 1998. The report looked at the research into peanut allergies at the time. But the research at the time was not very good.

It's important to know that eating peanuts while pregnant won't cause immediate harm to your unborn baby. Doctors are just concerned about whether they might be more likely to get an allergy in the future.

Why is it in the news now?

A committee of members of the House of Lords looked at the evidence about eating peanuts in pregnancy, while writing a report about allergies. Last week, the committee said that there is no good evidence that eating peanuts while pregnant can increase a child's chances of an allergy. The committee says the Department of Health should stop advising women not to eat peanuts, unless they find better evidence to show it prevents allergies.

However, it's important to note that the committee did not say that women should start eating peanuts when pregnant. They just said the Department of Health should not make recommendations until there is better research.

The committee spoke to lots of doctors doing research on allergy. One of the doctors said that some people now think the Department of Health advice might actually increase the chances of having a peanut allergy. That's because of research carried out in Israel and other countries where lots of children eat peanut-based foods at an early age. The research shows that fewer people living in these areas get peanut allergies.

Researchers are doing more work to find out whether it's helpful for children with other allergies to avoid peanuts in early life. The children will be tested to see whether they are more or less likely to get peanut allergies if they avoid peanuts. When this research is finished, we might have a better idea about what advice to give to pregnant women and mothers.

The Department of Health says it is looking at the report. But at the moment, the advice on peanuts has not changed.

Where does the report come from?

The report comes from the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee. This is a group of peers (members of the House of Lords) who have a particular interest in science and technology. They meet regularly and call experts to answer questions in committee hearings. Then they write reports, summarising all the evidence they have heard. They make recommendations to the government about what action they think should be taken. But they don't have any power to change things themselves.

What does this mean for me?

If you are pregnant and worried about whether it's safe to eat peanuts, here are some points to remember:

Eating peanuts won't cause immediate damage to the baby in the womb
The Department of Health advice only applies to women who have allergies themselves, or whose partner has an allergy, or who have other children with allergies. Women with no allergies in their family don't need to worry about eating peanuts
The new report doesn't say that all women should start eating peanuts when they're pregnant. It says there's not enough research to know if it's a good idea or not.

Pregnant or nursing women who do have allergies in their family may feel in a dilemma about this report. You may wish to follow the Department of Health advice, until there has been more research to show whether it is good advice or not. At the moment, we simply don't know.

What should I do now?

If you decide to follow the Department of Health advice, this is what it says:

Women with allergies in the family should avoid eating peanuts, or products containing peanuts, while pregnant or breastfeeding
Children in families with allergies should not be given foods containing peanuts or peanut products until they are three years old.

It's also important to note that no child under five should eat whole peanuts, because of the risk of choking.

You can check for peanuts in products by looking at the label. Peanuts are sometimes called groundnuts, earthnuts or monkey nuts.

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This information does not replace medical advice. If you are concerned you might have a medical problem please ask your Boots pharmacy team in your local Boots store, or see your doctor.