Observational studies have not shown a consistent link between maternal diet during pregnancy and lactation and the risk of egg allergy in the child.[1][2] Currently, there are no evidence-based recommendations for changing the maternal diet as a means of preventing food allergy. Importantly, maternal avoidance of potential food allergens, such as egg, during pregnancy or lactation does not appear to be effective in reducing the risk of food allergies and may be associated with negative effects on maternal and fetal weight gain.[3]
Although egg proteins from the maternal diet are detectable in breast milk, maternal exclusion of egg is not usually helpful. A maternal egg-free diet may be helpful in cases where the infant is suspected to be reacting to breastmilk, or if the infant is experiencing persistent, treatment-resistant eczema.[4]
References
- ^Netting MJ, Middleton PF, Makrides MDoes maternal diet during pregnancy and lactation affect outcomes in offspring? A systematic review of food-based approaches.Nutrition.(2014)
- ^D de Silva, M Geromi, S Halken, A Host, S S Panesar, A Muraro, T Werfel, K Hoffmann-Sommergruber, G Roberts, V Cardona, A E J Dubois, L K Poulsen, R Van Ree, B Vlieg-Boerstra, I Agache, K Grimshaw, L O'Mahony, C Venter, S H Arshad, A Sheikh, EAACI Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Guidelines GroupPrimary prevention of food allergy in children and adults: systematic reviewAllergy.(2014 May)
- ^Kramer MS, Kakuma RMaternal dietary antigen avoidance during pregnancy or lactation, or both, for preventing or treating atopic disease in the child.Cochrane Database Syst Rev.(2012-Sep-12)
- ^Leech SC, Ewan PW, Skypala IJ, Brathwaite N, Erlewyn-Lajeunesse M, Heath S, Ball H, James P, Murphy K, Clark ATBSACI 2021 guideline for the management of egg allergy.Clin Exp Allergy.(2021-Oct)