Home
Before You Get Pregnant
Staying Healthy During Pregnancy
9 Month Miracle
Special-Care Pregnancies
Planning For Baby's Arrival
Labor And Delivery
Your Baby's First Weeks
Glossary

Food Cravings

One of the oldest and most enduring pregnancy-related myths is that mothers-to-be crave pickles and ice cream. You may experience some days in which you seem to crave certain food items. The specific reason for this is not known. It is thought to be related to all the pregnancy hormones circulating in your system. Often this will pass after the first three months of pregnancy.

As long as you make sure you are eating all the important nutrients needed for you and your baby, indulging in some of your cravings every now and then will likely be fine.

Occasionally, pregnant women will get strange cravings for things that are not food items at all during pregnancy. This condition is called Pica, and it is thought to be due to an iron deficiency. Some women with Pica report craving dirt, clay, laundry detergent, and ice chips. If you have cravings for any of these items, it is important to call your health care provider immediately -- you may have severe anemia, which would require you to take an iron supplement.




Review Date: 12/9/2012
Reviewed By: Irina Burd, MD, PhD, Maternal Fetal Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
© 1997- adam.comAll rights reserved.