Is It Safe To Consume Ice During Pregnancy?

Pregnancy brings about those unusual food cravings and temptations. Your once all-time favorite food might no longer attract you while the food which you loathed is now so agreeable to you.

This is the most surprising element of pregnancy and almost all women face this without any age bar. Such symptoms are due to the hormonal changes taking place in the body during pregnancy.

If you have ice cravings during pregnancy, then you are not the only one. Don’t feel embarrassed! Longing for non-food items during pregnancy is quite common. Once you deliver your baby, all these unusual cravings shall disappear.

Pica In Pregnancy: What Does It Mean?

While, cravings for food items may be considered as normal, craving ice or certain non-food items are medically termed as Pica.

• Pica, the name is derived from a Latin word called Magpie. Magpie is the name of a bird and it is the one which can eat anything.
• Similarly, Pica in pregnancy means when you long to eat non-food items apart from food items.
• Non-food item can be anything- like ice, clay, detergent, starch, hair to any obscure item.
• More or less it is associated with some nutritional deficiency in your body. But at the same time, it can occur even in the absence of any particular deficiency.
• Just like any other cravings, this shall also subside once you deliver your baby.

[ Read: Soft Drinks During Pregnancy ]

Eating Ice During Pregnancy – Is It Safe?

When you have irresistible cravings for having ice during pregnancy, you should take into consideration the below mentioned aspects.

• In medical terminology, the desire to have ice is called as Pagophagia.
• In general, ice is not a harmful substance when we compare it to other hazardous elements like clay or dirt. In the later cases, it is necessary to stop consuming such items immediately.
• As such eating a lot of ice during pregnancy has not found any negative consequences till date. But sometimes it can be hard for your teeth (and throat, if you are susceptible to sore throat).

Iron Deficiency And Ice Consumption: Is There A Link?

Folic Acid

and Iron are the two most important requirements of your body during pregnancy. It is not scientifically proved but sometimes people associate the ice consuming tendency with iron deficiency.

• When you are pregnant you require minimum 27 mg of iron for yourself and your baby’s growth.
• During those times when your body shows deficit of its iron intake, you might get cravings for ice.
• Once your iron level comes to the desired level, you might have less longing for ice.

[ Read: Iron Tablets During Pregnancy ]

Risks Associated With Excessive Ice Consumption

During pregnancy the most important aspect is taking care of your diet. There is a stipulated amount of calories which you need to intake daily. If you fail to meet the requirements, your baby’s growth may be hampered.

• As such ice consumption is considered to be normal during pregnancy, however excessive consumption of anything is considered to be bad.
• When you consume more ice, it will fill you up and it is possible that you might not be able to take the other necessary nutrition in your body. Because there is no amount of calories present in ice.
• A study has found that women who consumed more of ice take lesser quantities of heme iron, carbohydrates, protein and zinc. This can further lead to deficiency.

[ Read: Eating Chocolates During Pregnancy ]

Most important thing to remember is that cravings for non-food items in normal, but do not be shy to reveal this to your doctor. He will help you with suggestions, and thus might help in protecting you as well as your baby’s life

Do share with us if you know more about ice cravings during pregnancy and how to overcome it.

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