A new clinical trial from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is asking an intriguing question: if mothers eat peanuts and eggs during pregnancy and breastfeeding, could this lower the chances of their babies developing food allergies?
Food allergies affect about 8% of children in the United States, and reactions can sometimes be severe. Peanut and egg are two of the most common triggers in early childhood.
Research has shown that some infants produce antibodies against peanut and egg before ever eating them. This suggests that their immune system is primed early, making it important to explore prevention strategies that start even before solid foods are introduced.
Until now, studies looking at whether mothers should eat or avoid these foods during pregnancy and breastfeeding have been inconsistent. The new trial, called ESCAPE (Expecting Mother’s Study of Consumption or Avoidance of Peanut and Egg), aims to provide a clear answer.
More than 500 mothers and babies will take part. Beginning in the third trimester and continuing through breastfeeding, half of the mothers will eat controlled amounts of peanut and egg, while the other half will avoid them completely. Researchers will then test the babies between four and six months of age—before they try these foods—to see how many have developed allergy-related antibodies.
Families will be followed until the babies reach one year old, and results are expected in 2029. If maternal diet proves effective in lowering risk, it could become a simple, early way to protect children who are genetically more likely to develop food allergies.
More information about the trial, including contacts for people who are interested in participating, is available at ClinicalTrials.gov under study identifier NCT06260956
Source: NIH
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