An allergic reaction occurs when the body tends to over respond or reacts to a particular substance and this is displayed via symptoms like wheezing, skin problems, coughing, breathing problems etc. Many pregnant women are concerned whether consuming peanuts during pregnancy is safe. It has been researched the consumption of peanuts is not known to harm the fetus unless the mother or the family has a history or cases of peanut allergy which may be passed on to the baby as well. In fact this is true for most allergies that may run in the family including hay fever or in the mother.
Hence in such cases peanut allergy and pregnancy may pose to be a problem which requires the mother to be extra careful while purchasing readymade food to ensure that there are no traces of peanuts or any other nuts in case of a general nut allergy in the mother. It is very common to use peanut or peanut oil in Thai dishes and hence these should be avoided to prevent the onset of peanut allergies during pregnancy. Hence pregnant women are always advised to check with the restaurant staff for the presence of peanuts or any other nuts before actually ordering the dish.
Peanuts or traces of peanuts are even found in foods like breakfast cereals, cereal bars, cupcakes etc. Peanuts are known to be an excellent source of proteins and folate, however there is one school of thought that irrespective of the mother or the family history pertaining to allergies, peanuts should be avoided during pregnancy as they increase the risk of the child developing a peanut allergy in future.
Allergies and especially nut allergies have to be disclosed to the doctor during pregnancy as they can pose a serious threat to both mother and child if taken lightly. Only medications prescribed by a qualified doctor should be consumed to avoid any harmful effects to the mother and child. In fact peanut allergies can also result in anaphylactic shock wherein there is a severe and sudden allergic reaction which can even be fatal for the baby. Even after delivery, breast feeding is known to boost the baby's immune system and protect it from infections or even developing allergies in their early stages of life. Breastfeeding is most effective if done continuously for the first six months. In some cases pregnant women have observed that their allergy symptoms are a lot milder and may even disappear during pregnancy.
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