Question

Are food cravings normal during pregnancy?

Answer

Lusting after ice cream with pickled onions during pregnancy may seem like a cliché, but for many mums-to-be, food cravings are very common.

Why does it happen? Pregnancy hormones are thought to be partly to blame, although some experts believe that cravings may be the body's way of telling you it needs more of certain nutrients like iron, calcium, or vitamins. However, there is no scientific evidence to prove this so far. Some women even have cravings for non-food items such as coal, chalk and matchboxes. This is a rare condition called Pica (the Latin name for magpie).

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