Am pregnant and the crave to eat soil/earth/clay is soo high. what am i lacking? pls advise?

Answer 1

Craving to eat soil/earth and clay is called PICA. Pica, usually a secretive behavior, is a compulsive eating disorder in which sufferers have a constant appetite for non-nutritious substances. Aside from soil there are other substances that pica sufferers will crave for:

• Clothes
• Ice
• Paper
• Plants
• Cornstarch
• Soap
• Ashes
• Paint
• Soil

While the conditions’ association and cause during pregnancy are not known, many suggest cultural and physiological factors are to blame. Others believe depression or iron and zinc deficiencies during pregnancy could be a factor.

While it is normal to crave for unusual food during pregnancy,the desire for non-food items is more of a psychobehavioral problem that is aggravated by pregnancy and that needs to be treated.

Cravings for soil substances such as clay or chalk actually may reflect mineral deficiencies, and the individual's intuitive attempt to correct them. The practice is known as geophagia.
Others who crave for plaster walls and eat them are lacking in calcium.

Although soil eating is usually associated with pregnant women in the southern states of America among descendants of African slaves, who brought the custom to America, this behavior is found throughout the world.

Hence if this problem is unattended to it leads to more serious psychiatric problem and poor dental health.

Your treatment group should consist of an OB-GYN, A Psychiatrist and a Dentist in case you have already started eating soil/clay.

Answer 2

First of all don'teat these things without strict medical advice. Secondly i was told when pregnant that these cravings were a mineral deficiency. I'm not sure how true that is but when i was pregnant with my first child, all i wanted to do was eat green grass in the mornings when it was covered with dew, i also craved the taste of stones & rocks & would occasionally secretly lick them. What a strange experience pregnancy is. Hope all goes well for you.

Answer 3

That is sooo interesting....the dr.s asked me if I was craving that...I wasnt but Ask your dr. about this since it clearly is pretty important thing that they want to know if you are craving that. I think it is a lack of iron but I can be wrong.

Answer 4

Sounds most like pica than anything else I can think of. Get some help because that stuff has no nutritional value.

Answer 5

Iron; before you start taking a supplement ask your Doctor.

Answer 6

This condition is called PICA, your low on iron, increase with green veggies, cereal is good source of iron too!

Answer 7

I've heard of this before, talk to your doctor. It's what everyone else is saying...iron.

Answer 8

Sounds like you have PICA. Talk to your doctor about it.

Answer 9

you need iodine most supplements for pregnant women contain this as well as calcium.

Answer 10

Iron or calcium I guess.