Should a pregnant woman eat peanuts or peanut products?
Women who are allergic to peanuts should not eat peanuts or peanut products during pregnancy or at any other time. Studies suggest that women who are not allergic to peanuts can safely eat peanuts during pregnancy (3). Because peanut allergy tends to run in families, health care providers have been seeking ways to help prevent this allergy in babies from affected families. Until recently, experts recommended that women who arent allergic to peanuts but who have a family history of peanut allergy avoid peanuts during pregnancy (3, 4). However, recent studies have found no evidence that avoiding peanuts in pregnancy helps prevent peanut allergies in the child (3, 5). Peanuts can be healthy food choices for pregnant women. Peanuts are a good source of protein and folate. Folate is the form of folic acid that is found naturally in foods. Taking folic acid before and during early pregnancy helps prevent certain serious birth defects of the brain and spine. The March of Dimes recommends that
