The food cravings during pregnancy are unavoidable, which many women experience during their term of pregnancy. A study revealed that 68% of pregnant mothers experience cravings as the reason for hormonal changes. This can fluctuate throughout their pregnancy, causing some to become sensitive to the smell of some foods; a few others may not be able to tolerate foods they once loved to have or those they dislike being on the top of their priority.
Although these are also cravings, not harmful, though, as they revolve around edible foods. The only concern should be the type of calories and to keep a control on them to avoid excess ingestion.
However, there is a complication like Pica, which involves non-food as well as non-nutritional substances. Some common non-food cravings are laundry soap, hair, ice chips, starch, dirt, matches, and many more.
Pica is ubiquitous among different economies and races in the world. Pica is associated chiefly with nutritional deficiencies, but it can also exist without them. The commonly noted lack is anaemia. Each non-food substance craving is related to different dietary deficiencies: ice is related to folic acid or iron deficiency anaemia.
The consumption of non-food substances also can interfere with the absorption of nutrients from foods usually consumed. For example, clay consumption hinders with the absorption of iron in the food. This often leads to the condition of anaemia, as the body lacks iron.