Since time immemorial, there have been some unusual behaviors among people that have not faced opposition. In certain periods of a person’s life, such as the period of pregnancy, some women have a strange desire to eat non-edible substances such as chalk, flower straw, toothpaste, paint chips, etc. They show from themselves that of course these behaviors are not exclusive to pregnant women and have been seen in many people in different forms and tendencies.
One of these substances that people tend to eat is ice, which you will learn more about the benefits, harms and other points about this craving.
At a glance
Pica is a word that is used for the tendency of people to consume non-edible substances. This desire to chew ice in pregnant women is strange and unbelievable for some people, but you should pay attention to the fact that sometimes chewing ice makes you feel refreshed and lose your mood. Nausea occurs in the morning, but its frequent consumption will definitely cause harm, which we will explain in detail.
Is it safe to Chew ice while pregnant ?
Yes, it is safe to use ice during pregnancy, but the maximum time it should take is one week to one month, and if it continues, you must see a doctor.
Does the desire to eat ice indicate pregnancy in women?
Some women tend to consume ice in the first weeks of pregnancy, but it is not right to attribute pregnancy to every woman who is interested in eating ice, and you should definitely take the help of a pregnancy test.
Why does a pregnant woman want to Chew ice?
Despite many tests, the real cause is still unknown, but it can be a sign of a lack of nutrients in a person.
Sometimes, people who tend to eat ice have anemia, and the consumption of ice by affecting the blood vessels of the brain increases consciousness in these people. In cases where people have diseases including iron deficiency with or without anemia, low hemoglobin levels , acid reflux or stomach pain, mouth burning and stress and discomfort, they tend to eat ice. Pica is usually seen in abundance in people with neurological disorders.
What are the benefits of eating ice while pregnant
- Lowers the body’s internal temperature and relaxes the body.
- It causes enough water to reach the body.
It cannot be denied that consuming ice will hydrate the body, but ice can never replace water, and every person should consume a certain amount of healthy drinking water during the day to meet the body’s need for water.
Risks of eating too much during pregnancy
- Gums and oral cavities are damaged and infected.
- It hurts the teeth.
- The probability of seeing changes in the jaw increases.
- As the level of electrolytes decreases, the possibility of convulsions increases.
- It causes the level of lead to rise in the body, its accumulation and poisoning.
- According to the experiments, the head circumference of babies of mothers who consume a lot of ice is smaller than a normal baby.
- It creates risks for the intestines.
In order not to experience the possible side effects of pica, it is better to find and treat body deficiencies with tests prescribed by the doctor, and if it is not related to body deficiencies, you should seek help from a consultant.
What are the symptoms of people with iron deficiency?
These people usually have abnormal color under their eyelids, nails and skin and are so-called pale and sometimes feel tired and dull, dizzy, lack of concentration and high heart rate are other obvious symptoms.
There have always been rumors about pikas, for example, it is said that the desire to eat ice determines the gender of the fetus, but this is not true at all, and only ultrasound can determine the gender.
If a person has a strong desire to eat ice, it is called pagophagia.
Pica is mainly seen in young children and sometimes the reason can be interpreted based on psychological issues, for example, obsessive-compulsive disorder or children’s development, these are the factors that cause pica.
As mentioned above, in the peak during which a person tends to eat ice, it is most likely that the person is suffering from anemia, but in some cases, dehydration is also involved in the occurrence of such peak, for example, during pregnancy due to vomiting. A pregnant woman loses some water in her body, which is partially compensated by eating ice.
Pregnancy raises metabolism inside the body and the vessels swell, which increases the body temperature and increases the desire to eat cold things like ice.
When you go to the doctor to get rid of the craving for ice, if the cause is illness or lack of elements in the body, they will try to increase the necessary elements by giving medicine and remove the deficiencies, but if the reason is not illness or lack of essential elements, psychological grounds and stress. The person will be examined and the person will be treated accordingly.
The most common pica in pregnant women is the desire to eat ice.
Although people with iron deficiency have a craving for ice, but during the experiments they were not seen to be interested in food or substance rich in iron.
People who use foods rich in iron will rarely suffer from constipation. Oysters, beef, chicken, turkey, fish, lamb, eggs, cooked beans, green vegetables (spinach, beets, cabbage, etc.) and Cashews are important sources rich in iron. Anemia caused by iron deficiency has negative effects on a person’s morals and causes lethargy, shortness of breath and headache.
Human teeth are not suitable for crushing ice, and if you do this with your teeth for a long time, the enamel of the teeth is lost, damaged and sensitive to hot and cold foods.
Conclusion
Pagophagia pica or the desire to eat and chew ice has been seen in people in the past, but it is more common in pregnant women in early pregnancy. This pica can either be due to an underlying disease such as iron deficiency or dehydration due to frequent vomiting. But if there is none of these, the cause will definitely be based on psychological issues, and you should see a counselor. In any case, this pica should not last more than a month because it will pose risks to human health.
