What are some potential risk factors for egg allergy?

    Written by:
    Katie Jantz

    Fact-checked

    by:

    Nick Milazzo, Natalka Roshak
    Last Updated: May 16, 2025

    Potential risk factors for egg allergy include a history of eczema, antibiotic use in the first week of life, current allergic rhinitis, family history of atopy, cesarean birth, allergies to other foods, male sex, and nonwhite ethnicity in Western countries. These factors are associated with an increased risk but are not proven causes of egg allergy.

    The following are associated with an increased risk of food allergy:[1][2][3][4]

    • Past/current eczema (atopic dermatitis)
    • Antibiotic use in the first week of life
    • Current allergic rhinitis (nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, itching)
    • Family history of atopy (eczema, allergic rhinitis, asthma)
    • Birth via cesarean section
    • Having allergies to other foods (e.g., peanut, cow’s milk protein)
    • Male sex
    • Non-white ethnicity in Western countries

    These risk factors are based on observational research and therefore are associated with an increased risk of egg allergy, but are not determined to cause egg allergy.