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Allergy and asthma are growing health problems in the world. It has previously been supposed by many clinicians and researchers that allergenic food avoidance during the time of pregnancy, lactation and the first period of the infant’s life could prevent atopic diseases. However, during the first trimester of pregnancy the formal period of fetal immune system development is taking place, including the early formation of many cells involved in the immune system response. It is therefore hypothesized, by Bunyavanich et al., that this first supposition is incorrect. Instead, they believe that an intake of allergenic food might influence the immune system development positively.

During their study this hypothesis was tested for some allergenic foods. It was found that an intake of peanuts during the first trimester of pregnancy was associated with a 47 % decrease in the odds of a peanut allergic reaction among the children. A maternal intake of milk during the same period was associated with 17 % and 15 % reduced odds of childhood asthma and allergic mucosal inflammation respectively. Moreover an intake of wheat during the second trimester was associated with 36 % reduced odds of eczema from an allergic reaction. However, no associations could be seen between maternal egg and soy consumption and childhood outcomes.

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The physiological conclusion from these results is that such effects are food-specific since different foods contain different nutrients. Peanuts, for example, contain linoleic acid (an essential fatty acid) and milk contains D-vitamins, which both previously have been found to be important for the immune system response in different ways.

Reference

Bunyavanich, S., Rifas-Shiman, S. L., Platts-Mills, T. A., Workman, L., Sordillo, J. E., Camargo, C. A., ... & Litonjua, A. A. (2014). Peanut, milk, and wheat intake during pregnancy is associated with reduced allergy and asthma in children. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 133(5), 1373-1382.