The PrEggNut Study

Maternal diet rich in eggs and peanuts to reduce food allergies: a randomised controlled trial
The PrEggNut Study
Project Status: In progress
Project administered by: The University of Western Australia

Please note this study is no longer recruiting.

Food allergies now affect more than 10% of children. Recently, babies have been found to be at risk of developing a food allergy even before they start eating solid foods.

This team's earlier work has suggested that babies’ immune responses can be improved by their mothers eating more eggs during the first weeks of breastfeeding.

This research trial aims to determine whether mothers regularly eating more eggs and peanuts during pregnancy and breastfeeding will reduce food allergies in their babies. SAHMRI is looking for people who are less than 23 weeks pregnant to participate in the PrEggNut Study.

PrEggNut participant

Who can take part?

Pregnant women who:

  • Are less than 23 weeks gestation (singleton pregnancy)
  • Have at least two family members (themselves, baby’s father or previous child/ren) with a history of medically diagnosed allergic disease (asthma, eczema, food allergy or hay fever)
  • Are planning to breastfeed for at least four months
  • Do not have an egg or peanut allergy

Serious food allergy reactions, anaphylaxis and food-related deaths have increased over the past two decades. Food allergy is a chronic disease that reduces quality of life, places significant burdens on schools, communities and the health care system at large. Effective prevention strategies in early life are urgently needed.

This randomised controlled trial study design will address an important gap in knowledge. It will provide high quality scientific outputs that progress the field of allergy prevention and will provide a sound evidence base to inform clinical practice allergy prevention recommendations for the role of regular inclusion of traditionally allergenic foods in the maternal diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

What does the study involve?

Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two study groups: a ‘standard egg and peanut diet’ group (which is typical for most women) and a ‘high egg and peanut diet’ group. Participants will be asked to follow the diet advice for their group from 22 weeks gestation until their baby is 4 months of age (or until breastfeeding ceases). The outcomes of egg and peanut allergies will be compared in the babies of the two groups at 1 year of age.

Who is conducting the study?

The PrEggNut Study is being directed by Dr Debra Palmer at the Telethon Kids Institute in Perth. This is a large, multi-centre study being conducted in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide and is aiming to involve over 2100 participants. SAHMRI is leading the study engagement in Adelaide.

Resources

Participant Information / Consent Form

Get in touch

Call the Adelaide PrEggNut Study team on 0460 409 870 or contact us via the form below

Project Leader

  • Professor Maria Makrides

    Professor Maria Makrides

This project is funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council