COLUMBUS – It is cliché to point out that pregnant women experience intense cravings for certain unusual foods, pickles and ice cream being those cited most often, but experts say as many as 80 percent of them have strong urges to eat more bizarre items like dirt, rubber bands and laundry detergent.
Patients often don’t discuss the topic because of the stigma associated with some of the cravings, but they are actually caused by a condition called pica, typically the result of anemia or an iron deficiency and easily treatable, says Dr. Melissa Goist, an OB/GYN at The OSU Wexner Medical Center.
Goist says, when patients come to her with odd cravings for things like paper, clay, ash or hair she will order blood tests and have the lab screen for anemia or an iron deficiency. A prescription for an iron supplement often takes care of the peculiar impulses.
Eating small amounts of paper or dirt isn’t necessarily harmful but Goist says she’s more concerned about some of those things containing chemicals or that are hard to digest.
“Long-term, things like earth, clay and detergent can be potentially harmful, and can cause some pretty significant gastrointestinal problems for these women,” Goist said.
She said pica is common for women to develop during pregnancy and they shouldn’t be embarrassed to tell their doctors and ask questions.