Most likely, pica will be treated with a combination of healthy vitamins and supplements, and behavioral therapies to break the cravings. What are the treatment options for pica disorder during pregnancy? If the toxic substances are life-threatening, it could possibly also lead to death or serious illness for both you and your baby. If you're consuming poisonous or toxic substances, your baby could suffer from learning disorders or behavioral problems down the road. This can cause a number of problems upon birth, such as low birth weight or growth restriction. If you're eating non-food substances rather than a healthy, well-balanced diet, your baby may not be getting the nutrients they need to grow. Will pica affect my baby at all?ĭepending on the nonfood substances that you consume, pica may affect your baby, especially if you eat lead or other toxic substances. Your doctor may also ask for a psychiatric evaluation to see if certain medications can help. In most cases, treating the underlying deficiencies prevent cravings and help treat pica, but sometimes, alternative routes may be required, such as behavioral therapy and distractive activities such as going for a walk or chewing gum when cravings hit. For example, your doctor may also do iron tests to check your levels and provide vitamins and supplements to help treat the deficiencies. Pica is first treated by exploring what you're specifically craving and eating, and testing for nutrient deficiencies that are associated with those things. There are no tests for pica, so usually, pica disorder is diagnosed by your doctor after they’ve looked at your medical history and talked with you about your experience with consuming non-food items. How is pica disorder treated during pregnancy? If you ingest toxic items, this could be harmful to both your health and your baby’s, and could even lead to premature labor or death. Other potential side effects of pica include constipation, cramping, or weight loss or gain. Depending on what is ingested, eating nonfood items like clay and paint may lead to health problems, such as lead poisoning or bowel blockage. Will pica affect my pregnancy?Įating nonfood substances can interfere with your body's ability to absorb nutrients and may even cause a deficiency, which could then affect the nutrients your baby is able to absorb during pregnancy, leading to birth disorders. In other rare cases, pica has been associated with underlying mental and physical illness.
It has also been suggested that pica can sometimes be related to certain vitamin and mineral deficiencies, and the body is trying to get them through non-food items. There is some research suggesting that iron-deficiency anemia is associated with a craving for ice, and that treating the anemia can reduce the amount of ice cravings. The risk of iron deficiency anemia is double in women with pica. No one knows what causes these unusual cravings, but a combination of biochemical, psychological, and cultural factors may be at work. Pica has been strongly linked to iron deficiency – even though most cravings don't always have a significant amount of iron. Anywhere from 27 to 68 percent of pregnant women can experience pica, with large variations over different geographies.
It is generally classified as an eating disorder if one eats non-food items for more than one month. Pica, which comes from the Latin word for magpie (a bird known for eating almost anything), is a worldwide phenomenon – most commonly seen in children – but can occur for some people during pregnancy. Pica is the term used to describe having an intense craving for – and eating – nonfood items, such as soil, clay, laundry starch, ice, ashes, plaster, paint chips, and coffee grounds. However, if you are starting to crave non-food items, you may be experiencing a disorder commonly known as pica. This is perfectly fine as long as you’re sticking to a balanced diet and having enough nutrients to help support your growing baby. Having strange food cravings is a normal part of pregnancy – in fact almost 40 percent of women report craving sweet and salty items during pregnancy, such as pickles and ice cream.
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