PICA in Pregnancy: Causes, Effects & Treatment

You sign up for weird food cravings as soon as you become pregnant. Hot sauce with ice cream and pickle with chocolate is strange enough but when your food cravings take a turn for worse (nonfood items), there’s something else going on. Don’t worry, this condition, called PICA in pregnancy, is not that uncommon among pregnant women.

Let us understand more about PICA, what causes it and what to do if you get PICA during pregnancy.

What is PICA in Pregnancy?

Psychological Disorder Characterized by an Appetite (PICA) is a condition in which a pregnant woman gets strange cravings for non-food items. This medical term comes from the name of a bird known as Magpie (Pica Pica), a bird that is known to eat almost everything (whether it’s food or not).

Generally, food cravings during pregnancy occur because of fluctuations in hormones. However, if a woman experiences some weird cravings for non-food items, then it indicates a deficiency of vitamins and minerals in the body. According to experts, PICA in pregnancy occurs due to a deficiency of iron in the pregnant woman.

Some of the most common non-food items that a pregnant woman craves are as follows:

• Paper
• Nails
• Hair
• Sand/ Garden soil
• Soap/Laundry detergent
• Coal
• Plaster of Paris
• Clay
• Feces
• Plastic
• Porcelain
• Wood chips
• Cigarette ashes
• Glue
• Paint
• Chalk
• Dirt
• Burnt matches
• Mothballs
• Cornstarch
• Baking Soda
• Toothpaste
• Coffee grounds
• Fabric/Cloth
• Ice chips

What Causes PICA?

PICA in pregnancy can occur due to several reasons, mostly related to diet and nutrition.

The most probable reason for developing PICA in pregnancy is that your body is not getting adequate nutrition.

Your nutritional requirements increase during pregnancy because there’s a baby growing inside you. Sometimes, these increased nutritional demands may lead to a nutrient deficiency. Other times, the nausea and vomiting you experience during pregnancy may also deplete your nutritional intake and cause PICA.

If you consume a poor diet and are deficient in important minerals like zinc and iron, you may be at a higher risk of developing PICA in pregnancy.

Can PICA Harm You During Pregnancy?

As long as you crave for nonfood items and don’t actually eat them, PICA isn’t harmful to you or your baby. However, the underlying causes of PICA such as iron or zinc deficiency present a risk to your pregnancy.

PICA can also harm you during pregnancy if you ingest toxic items like sand, dirt, coal or mothballs. Complications from PICA range from constipation and cramps to stomach infection and poisoning and blockage in the digestive tract that can harm both you and your baby.

Additionally, eating nonfood items like paper or soil can make you feel full and get in the way of you eating healthy foods. This may also lead to malnutrition and your baby may not get all the nutrients he/she needs to develop.

What Other Women Do During a Pica?

When an expecting mother experiences an uncontrollable urge to eat something non-edible then she must immediately seek help from the doctor. Mindful eating is important for you and the unborn child during pregnancy. Consuming any of the above-mentioned non-food items during pregnancy can be extremely harmful to the mother as well as the child.

It is essential to observe all the cravings that you get during the beautiful phase of pregnancy and understand what are the risks involved with them. Although there is no test to diagnose this condition still if anyone experiences this eating disorder then one should not panic. All you have to do is just be honest with your doctor as that will help him/her to diagnose it and treat it well. Your doctor might ask you to undergo a simple blood test to check the levels of Zinc and Iron in your body.

Treatments for PICA in Pregnancy

PICA in pregnancy can be managed and here are a few important tips to deal with it:

• Monitor your nutritional levels by keeping an eye on your daily requirement of vitamins and minerals during pregnancy.
• Along with a nutritionally balanced diet, you must take supplements but only after taking consent from your doctor.
• Eat in small portions and consume healthy meals.
• Keep your pantry stocked with nuts, healthy snacks, and dried fruits to eat between meals.
• Avoid consuming processed foods, junk foods, and too oily and sugary foods.
• Include healthy food items in your diet that have low GI (Glycemic Index) for instance- baked beans, seasonal fresh fruits, porridge, wholegrain bread, etc.
• Don’t over-exert your body and try not to be sleep-deprived.
• Distract your mind by watching your favorite movie, reading your favorite book, or talking your heart out with your soulmate.
• Practice prenatal yoga under the supervision of a certified trainer and invest time in meditation as that will help in balancing your anxiety and stress levels.
• After asking your doctor, you can chew sugar-free candies or gum in moderation if required.

PICA in pregnancy can be managed. And in most cases, it goes away on its own. However, if you observe some behavioral changes in yourself or the condition of PICA is getting worse due to an underlying psychological condition, then you should seek a counsellor.