Eating soil in pregnancy is risky
EVER heard of the term pica! Well it is derived from the Latin word for magpie, a bird that is notorious for it’s habit of gathering a variety of objects due to curiosity and sometimes for food.
By Juliet Kakeeto
EVER heard of the term pica! Well it is derived from the Latin word for magpie, a bird that is notorious for it’s habit of gathering a variety of objects due to curiosity and sometimes for food.
Pregnant women across the world are known to practice pica more than anyone else.
Dr Samuel Kaggwa a consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist working with Victoria Medical Centre on Lumumba avenue says that in Uganda, pregnant women who traditionally eat substances like clay or bbumba and anthill soil, believe that such substances help to prevent them from vomiting.
“The taste of such soils is claimed to diminish the nausea, discomfort and vomiting in ‘morning sickness’ (though it may even come in the evenings) during pregnancy. Clay eating in this case is seen as normal during pregnancy and not between pregnancies,†Dr Kaggwa says.
But he says that pica, especially clay eating has often been associated with lead poisoning of a pregnant woman and the foetus, as lead can pass freely through the placenta to the foetus causing still births, low birth weight and development of disabilities in the foetus.
Dr Kaggwa says that in rare cases when someone takes a lot of soil, it can also lead to phosphorus intoxication causing imminent renal or kidney failure.
Dental injury is another effect of pica whereby there is destruction of the tooth structure caused by the introduction of toxic or otherwise harmful materials to the enamel and mouth.
“In addition a person may get infections from parasites that live in the soil causing diarrhoea, constipation and deposition of undigestable materials into the appendix, though types of clay eaten in most countries could contribute some mineral nutrients to the body,†he continues.
The advice for pregnant women is to eat foods rich in iron and zinc which include: meat, liver, vegetables especially the red greens or get iron supplements and folic acids from the maternity care centres.
Asked why women who use folic acids and iron supplements from maternity centres continue to practice pica, Dr Kaggwa says this happens only when a pregnant woman is not given enough supplements to satisfy her needs.
“Blood samples ought to be taken to know the level of deficiency of the woman, then know the quantity of the medication to administer to her in a particular period of time.
But what happens in most hospitals, is that they give the folic acids and other supplements before getting to know the levels of the deficiency, hence not being able to curb pica, he says.
EVER heard of the term pica! Well it is derived from the Latin word for magpie, a bird that is notorious for it’s habit of gathering a variety of objects due to curiosity and sometimes for food.
Pregnant women across the world are known to practice pica more than anyone else.
Dr Samuel Kaggwa a consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist working with Victoria Medical Centre on Lumumba avenue says that in Uganda, pregnant women who traditionally eat substances like clay or bbumba and anthill soil, believe that such substances help to prevent them from vomiting.
“The taste of such soils is claimed to diminish the nausea, discomfort and vomiting in ‘morning sickness’ (though it may even come in the evenings) during pregnancy. Clay eating in this case is seen as normal during pregnancy and not between pregnancies,†Dr Kaggwa says.
But he says that pica, especially clay eating has often been associated with lead poisoning of a pregnant woman and the foetus, as lead can pass freely through the placenta to the foetus causing still births, low birth weight and development of disabilities in the foetus.
Dr Kaggwa says that in rare cases when someone takes a lot of soil, it can also lead to phosphorus intoxication causing imminent renal or kidney failure.
Dental injury is another effect of pica whereby there is destruction of the tooth structure caused by the introduction of toxic or otherwise harmful materials to the enamel and mouth.
“In addition a person may get infections from parasites that live in the soil causing diarrhoea, constipation and deposition of undigestable materials into the appendix, though types of clay eaten in most countries could contribute some mineral nutrients to the body,†he continues.
The advice for pregnant women is to eat foods rich in iron and zinc which include: meat, liver, vegetables especially the red greens or get iron supplements and folic acids from the maternity care centres.
Asked why women who use folic acids and iron supplements from maternity centres continue to practice pica, Dr Kaggwa says this happens only when a pregnant woman is not given enough supplements to satisfy her needs.
“Blood samples ought to be taken to know the level of deficiency of the woman, then know the quantity of the medication to administer to her in a particular period of time.
But what happens in most hospitals, is that they give the folic acids and other supplements before getting to know the levels of the deficiency, hence not being able to curb pica, he says.