Eating soil during pregnancy – PICA disorder: causes & dangers

Eating soil during pregnancy (a disorder known as PICA), is one of the most intriguing cravings experienced by some pregnant women. It may be a particular type of stone, rock, soil or clay. Let us examine the pica disorder definition, causes, dangers and side effects of eating stones and soil.

Almost every pregnant woman will tell you that they crave particular foods. If you are a man whose pregnant wife is eating soil, clay or rocks, be at ease! You may be wondering what transformation your partner is going through- but rest assured that this kind of craving is not peculiar to her. She is experiencing a condition known as pica.

Craving both the good and the bad

Pregnant women crave different foods – the good and the bad. The craving in one pregnancy may not be similar to the craving in another. Some pregnant women crave chocolate, spicy food, fruits, mashed potatoes, meat, cereals, milk or white bread.

Giving in to your craving is fine, as long as you crave foods that contribute to a healthy diet. These cravings diminish about three months into the pregnancy, though some linger on for a while until after delivery.

Whereas women crave certain foods in pregnancy, they also tend to dislike other types of foods. The smell of certain foods causes serious nausea to some pregnant women. Other women find certain foods suddenly tasteless. There is nothing wrong with avoiding food that you are uncomfortable with. However, ensure that you do not lose out on the nutritive value of that particular kind of food. Identify an alternative kind that will supply you with the same type of nutrient.

Irrespective of your cravings, do not eat foods that can put your health at risk, for instance- raw eggs, raw meat of any kind (including fish), and cheeses. Do not drink milk that is not boiled, especially cow milk.

Eating soil during pregnancy (PICA) – iron deficiency and other causes

While most women crave foods, others crave and ‘eat’ non-food items. This is referred to as pica. Pica is a persistent drive towards eating anything that is not a food substance, especially earth (soil), clay or chalk. The causes of these cravings are not really known but the urge to eat soil is highly associated with the following:

♦  Nutrition deficiency:

Craving soil may be your body’s natural response, to a nutritional depletion such as zinc or iron deficiency. When the body is deficient in certain vitamins and minerals, it tries to get them by causing you to eat soil, stones or crave for other non-food substances.

♦  Dieting:

Some women take to eating soil during pregnancy with the erroneous belief that it will ease hunger, especially if they are trying to control weight gain by reducing food consumption.

♦  Getting rid of nausea:

Other women believe that eating soil during pregnancy, or rocks, stones and in some cases chalk, will eliminate nausea and morning sickness.

♦  Childhood tendencies:

Eating soil during pregnancy, is said to occur more frequently in women who exhibited similar practices during their childhood.

Can pica put your health at risk?

Consuming non-food items can be dangerous to both you and your baby. There are side effects of eating stones or soil, so do not eat everything that you crave for. Eating soil during pregnancy or consuming rocks, stones or chalk has potential side effects that most commonly affect the bowels. These include:

♦  Poisoning:

Consuming these non-food items can lead to poisoning, which can seriously harm you and your baby. Harmful bacteria may be present in the soil, for instance; germs found in animal faeces.

♦  Bowel obstruction:

Soil, rocks, stones or chalk can cause your bowels to become obstructed as these substances are not digestible. This can lead to severe constipation, bowel inflammation and infection.

♦  Parasitic infections:

Soil is home to several parasites, for example. worms. When you eat soil, parasites can lodge in your intestinal tract causing abdominal pain and weight loss.

♦  Dental injury:

Your teeth were not made to process stones. Eating soil, rocks, stones or chalk can result in serious damage to your teeth. It may also cause them to chip or break away.

Preventing pica

The reasons for cravings are inconclusive. Nutrition deficiency, though suspected, has no demonstrated association with pica. It is therefore virtually impossible to completely eliminate food and non-food cravings. But there are steps you can take to reduce the occurrence and attraction to such cravings.

Your frame of mind is a powerful determinant of your likes and dislikes. Therefore the first thing to work on is knowledge. Once you are aware of and appreciate the risks of eating soil during pregnancy, it is likely that taking in non-edibles will become less attractive to you.

You can also try to reduce pica, by turning your attention to some of your favourite but nutritious foods. Engage yourself in an activity you really like. That way you may -at least temporarily, divert your mind from the harmful craving.

It is important to visit your health care professional for proper treatment and advice if you experience pica.

END: PG 05/13