Pregnancy

Eating Peanuts During Pregnancy Linked to Peanut Allergies

The statistics of food allergies among American children is on the rise. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of children with food allergies increased 18 percent between 1997 and 2007. To put it in perspective for you, about three million children under the age of 18 has a food or digestive allergy. Time Magazine reports that six percent of children under age three has a food allergy, and two percent are allergic to peanuts.

Researchers and concerned parents want to know – what’s causing their children to develop these allergies? Could it have something to do with the foods that pregnant women eat? That’s a strong possibility, according to a new study published in the November issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

This new research study suggests that eating peanuts during pregnancy increases your baby’s risk of developing peanut allergies later in life. In fact, the more peanuts that a pregnant woman eats in her third trimester, the higher her baby’s risk of being sensitive and possibly allergic to peanuts.

To conduct the study, researchers looked at 503 infants, between the ages of 3 and 15 months, who displayed signs of milk and egg allergies. (These babies did not have peanut allergies, but the researchers theorized that they were more likely to develop reactions to peanuts.) The infants of mothers who ate peanut products more than twice a week during pregnancy had stronger sensitivity to peanuts, compared to babies whose moms did not eat as many peanut products. In a nutshell, moms who ate peanuts during pregnancy were at an increased risk of having a baby with a peanut allergy.

The results of this study are only the latest in a string of conflicting studies. Some studies have found no link between eating peanuts during pregnancy and food allergy development, while others, like this one, suggest that there may be a connection.

Research studies are confusing, but try not to feel guilty if you love eating peanuts. Many parents believe that you need to eat peanuts during pregnancy to expose your child, while others argue that you need to avoid it completely out of fear of peanut allergies. The choice is up to you, but trust me, you’re not the only one flipping back and forth.

Even the American Academy of Pediatrics doesn’t know the answer to this question. Between 1998 and 2000, the academy advised pregnant women with a family history of food allergies to avoid peanuts to help reduce the chances of food allergies in their children. Then in 2008, small studies in England found that there was no link to peanut consumption during pregnancy and peanut allergies in newborns, so this policy was reversed.

The bottom line: the research is mixed and there is no consensus. But one thing is clear – there is not enough scientific evidence to suggest that you could completely cut out peanuts from your diet. The best thing you can do for your baby is to eat a healthy and balanced diet.

If you’re interested in discussing pregnancy with other pregnant women, and hip moms of all ages, check out the PregnancyGroup.org.

Moderate Caffeine OK During Pregnancy

by DP Nguyen Leave a Comment

Last week, when I wrote about the Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy, I mentioned that you should probably give up your morning cup of coffee – just to be on the safe side. Excessive amounts of coffee (caffeine) has been linked to increasing your risk of having a miscarriage and delivering a premature baby.

If you’re a regular coffee lover, you’ll be happy to learn that earlier this summer, on July, 21, 2010, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) released a new position statement on caffeine consumption during pregnancy. The official recommendation is that moderate amounts of caffeine every day is perfectly fine for the mom-to-be.

“For years, women have been getting mixed messages about whether or not they should have any caffeine during pregnancy. After a review of the scientific evidence to date, daily moderate caffeine consumption doesn’t appear to have any major impact in causing miscarriage or preterm birth,” said Dr. William H. Barth, Jr., MD, chair of the Committee on Obstetric Practice in the official press release.

In a nutshell, don’t stress out about drinking that cup of coffee, having your favorite soft drink, or indulging yourself with that delicious bar of dark chocolate. But don’t overdo it with the caffeine-laced foods and drinks. Too much caffeine can still cause harm to your baby.

“Moderate caffeine consumption” is defined as less than 200 milligrams of caffeine a day, which means only about 12 ounces of coffee a day. To help you put this measurement in perspective, an 8-ounce cup of brewed drip coffee is about 137 milligrams of caffeine, while an 8-ounce cup of instant coffee only contains 76 milligrams.

Caffeinated tea and regular soft drinks typically contain less than 50 milligrams of caffeine, and the average chocolate candy bar contains less than 35 milligrams. Staying within your daily caffeine limit should be pretty simple.

Remember to anything in moderation will be OK and won’t harm your baby. But the key word is “moderation.”

Learn more:
Early Pregnancy Loss: Miscarriage and Molar Pregnancy (ACOG)

Eating for Two – Weight Gain During Pregnancy

by DP Nguyen Leave a Comment

We’ve all heard the expression “Eating for Two.” And if you don’t know a thing about pregnancy – which I didn’t, before I started working for an OB/GYN – you might think, “Oh, well, that means I eat double what I normally do. Go wild with the snacks and fast food.” It only makes sense, right? You have a new life inside you depending on you for his/her nutrient supply.

WRONG!

Eating for two does not mean that you can just eat anything that you want. In fact, you have to be careful about what you eat during pregnancy. There are foods to avoid, and you should try to eat a balanced diet to ensure that your developing baby receives all the vitamins and nutrients that he/she requires to develop healthy and strong.

During pregnancy, you only need to supplement your regular diet with 300 extra calories (if you’re carrying one baby). This is easily achieved. You just need to add a glass of milk here, possibly a peanut butter and jelly sandwich there, and slices of fruit as a snack. The exact amount of calories that you need to add depends on your weight before pregnancy. Your doctor or healthcare provider will be able to tell you more specifics about your general case.

The Food Pyramid is a good guide to follow when it comes to helping you find a healthy and balanced diet.

To have a healthy and happy pregnancy with few bumps along the way, you should only gain the recommended weight gain for your size. If you gain too much, or too little, this can be detrimental to your baby. In other words, it’s not a good idea. Try to stay in the recommended weight gain limit if it’s at all possible.

If you gain too little during pregnancy, this puts you at risk for having a small baby (one that weights less than 5.5 pounds) and having a premature baby. If you gain too much weight, you face the risk of preterm labor and delivery, a large baby, and a possible cesarean section (c-section). Plus, if you put on too much pregnancy weight, you may end up with gestational diabetes (diabetes that develops out of nowhere during pregnancy, which goes away after your baby is born), high blood pressure, and (gasp) unattractive varicose veins. You may also develop pregnancy stretch marks.

A perk of gaining just the right amount of weight – you will lose your pregnancy fat much faster. You will go back to your pre-pregnancy size faster than women who gain too much weight.

Recommended Pregnancy Weight Gain For Your Body Size

For the best outcome, if you started your pregnancy at an average size, you should aim to gain 25 to 35 pounds over the course of 40 weeks. This means that you should expect to gain between 1 and 4.5 pounds in your first trimester (the first 13 weeks), and you’ll gain at least one pound every week the rest of your pregnancy week by week.

Women who were underweight when they first got pregnant should gain between 28 and 40 pounds during pregnancy. This means, they should aim to gain between 1 and 4.5 pounds in the first trimester, and more than one pound with each week that passes from the second trimester onward.

Now, if you were overweight when you first became pregnant, you should aim to gain only 15 to 25 pounds over the 40 weeks of pregnancy. This means, you should gain between 1 and 4.5 pounds in the first 13 weeks, and only gain one-half pound the rest of your pregnancy week by week.

* Please do not attempt to diet or lose weight during pregnancy. This will definitely hurt your baby!

The pregnancy weight gain is slightly different if you are carrying twins or multiples. Average-sized women carrying twins should aim to gain between 37 and 54 pounds.

How Accurate are Home Pregnancy Tests?

by DP Nguyen 155 Comments

Whether you’re trying to conceive, or you’re afraid that you accidentally got pregnant, you will want to know the answer to – “How Accurate are Home Pregnancy Tests?” In order to understand the accuracy of home pregnancy tests, you have to first learn about how they work, what hormones they measure, and how soon you can take the test.

[Read more…] about How Accurate are Home Pregnancy Tests?

Pregnancy Food Guide: Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy

by DP Nguyen 3 Comments

Confused about what you can and can’t eat during pregnancy? Figuring out what foods are safe, what foods to avoid in pregnancy, and what is the “forbidden fruit” (literally!) can be a nightmare for moms-to-be. If you watch the news, it seems like there’s another story every day about a common food that’s a no-no for pregnant women. Like earlier this summer (in 2010), diet drinks (or sugar-substitutes) were linked to causing pre-term labor and delivery. And just earlier this month (October 2010), we learned that exposure to pesticides during pregnancy was related to future childhood obesity. I’m not sure if you know but pesticides are everywhere! Unless you have the luxury of always buying 100 percent organic foods or you grow your own veggies, you’re not going to avoid them.

With all the “do this” and “don’t eat that” advice you’ll find on the web, you may be left feeling a bit clueless and scared to take a bite out of your favorite meal. But don’t stress. I’ve broken down the categories of foods to stay away from.

Foods to Avoid in Pregnancy

Here are the top eight “Do Not Eat” – a.k.a. “Forbidden Foods During Pregnancy.” You will want to avoid eating the foods on the below Pregnancy Food Guide, or reduce your consumption of them. Remember that when it comes to your baby, it’s always better to be safe rather than sorry.

1. Caffeine– You’ve gotta give up that eye-opening java each morning. While a small cup a day won’t hurt you or your baby – in fact, it may actually give you a extra lift – high levels of caffeine have been linked to causing birth defects and miscarriage. Studies have shown that daily caffeine intake of more than 4 to 7 cups of coffee a day actually doubles your risk of miscarriage. So to be on the safe side, you should probably avoid drinking any caffeine-containing drinks or foods.

2. Alcohol – This is a no brainer, but alcohol is a no-no during pregnancy. While new studies have given the OK to drink just a little bit of alcohol during pregnancy, you should probably still avoid it. Have you heard of fetal alcohol syndrome? Please don’t risk your baby’s health.

3. Raw Meat – Sorry, no sushi or beef carpaccio during pregnancy. Raw and undercooked meat can contain toxoplasmosis and Salmonella – both of these can harm your baby and cause miscarriage. Plus, you have double the risk of getting food poisoning during pregnancy, so unless you want to puke up and feel even more nauseous, I’d suggest only eating fully-cooked, fully-done meat.

4. Deli Meats – You might think that a sandwich or hot dog is harmless during pregnancy . . . but No. Deli meats can contain listeria – which can cause miscarriage or result in a stillborn delivery. That’s a dead baby. If you’re craving hot togs, or deli turkey, beef, and chicken, reheat them until they are steaming.

5. Imported Soft Cheeses – Just like with deli meat, unpasteurized cheeses (blue cheese, feta cheese, Brie, and Camembert) may also contain listeria. Only cheeses that are pasteurized are safe for you to eat during pregnancy. If you’re not sure whether or not your favorite cheese is pasteurized, avoid it.

6. Raw or undercooked eggs – Eggs that are not fully cooked can potentially contain Salmonella. You should avoid any raw eggs, even those in your favorite egg nog or Caesar salad dressing.

7. Fish – While eating fish can be healthy, you should avoid eating too much fish that contain high levels of mercury, because mercury can affect your unborn baby’s nervous system. These fish include sharp, swordfish, king mackerel, tuna and tile fish. In general, it’s OK to eat 12 ounces of other fish, such as salmon and tilapia. You should avoid canned tuna, since it may contain mercury.

8. Artificial Sweeteners – Put away that diet coke or diet soda during pregnancy. Studies have suggested that artificially sweetened drinks can increase your risk of preterm delivery.

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I hope you found this Pregnancy Food Guide helpful. For more pregnancy eating tips:

Sushi in Pregnancy: Is it Safe?
Fish in Pregnancy: What’s Safe and What’s Not
Tips for Safe Eating During Pregnancy
Chocolate in Pregnancy is Safe

Pregnancy Symptoms: 5 Signs That You May Be Pregnant

by DP Nguyen 511 Comments

Am I pregnant? Could I be?

If you’ve just missed your period, chances are you are definitely wondering whether or not you could have a bun cooking in the oven. Maybe you’re ready to be a mom. Maybe you’re not. But if you think you might be preggers, you’ve got to find out.

If you’re a smoker or a regular drinker, pregnancy will completely change your lifestyle. Being pregnant means no cigarettes, absolutely no alcohol. It also means that you’ll have to be more careful about what you eat. (Like if you love soft cheese, like blue cheese, you’re going to have to avoid it throughout your entire 40 weeks of pregnancy.) And then, there are the prenatal vitamins that you have to take to ensure the health of your developing baby. (Folic acid is crucial, and you should be taking an extra folic acid supplement if you think there’s any chance – even a remote chance – that you could be a mom-to-be.

Here we go . . . the top 5 signs that you might be pregnant.

Pregnancy

Foods to Avoid in Pregnancy

Top 5 Signs of Pregnancy