pica and Birth-Weight

Women all over the globe report physical and appetite sensations in early pregnancy, and this study contributes to this growing literature by reporting on the appetite sensations experienced by pregnant women from rural Tanzania. Appetite changes associated with 545 pregnancies were compiled from surveys conducted to report on the prevalence of appetite loss, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, joint pain, cravings, aversions, and pica experienced by agropastoral women from rural north-central Tanzania. In addition to these symptoms, specific craved and aversive food groups are described. Statistical associations among appetite sensations, NVP, and birthweight are tested. The only symptom associated with a lower average birth weight for newborns was vomiting. In addition to investigating micronutrient content and chemical properties of specific food and non-food items, future research should include assessing relationships among various appetite sensations and short- and long-term health outcomes for both the mother and child.

Topics: Adult; Appetite; Birth Weight; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Food Preferences; Humans; Infant, Low Birth Weight; Infant, Newborn; Morning Sickness; Nausea; Pica; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Pregnancy Outcome; Prevalence; Rural Population; Tanzania; Vomiting

Geophagy is an ancestral practice particularly found among African women who describe beneficial effects on the sympathetic signs of pregnancy. Studies have reported a significant prevalence of consumption of kaolin, known as geophagy, within migrant population. However, this behavior, like other environmental factors, could lead to obstetrical and neonatal risks.. The objective of our study was to evaluate the obstetrical and neonatal impact of kaolin consumption, especially on Z-SCORE for weight-for-gestational age in the newborn.. This mono-centric historical cohort study was carried out on the basis of questionnaires and patients' obstetrical records. It was conducted between January 1 and July 1, 2017. Patients were divided into two groups: 1) women who consumed kaolin (at least once during their pregnancy), and 2) women who did not consume kaolin. Morphometric characteristics of the newborn were retrieved in obstetrical records.. Results: 105 pregnant women were included: 26 exposed and 79 non exposed. Women who consumed kaolin were more frequently without social protection at their first consultation (. Geophagy is not to be neglected in socially advantaged countries due to increased immigration. This study found no association between kaolin consumption and birth weight. However, there was a correlation between precariousness and low birth weight which reinforces the importance of tightening the follow-up during pregnancies in the most precarious women.

Topics: Birth Weight; Cohort Studies; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Kaolin; Pica; Pregnancy; Pregnant Women

This study was conducted to determine the relationship between pica and anemia, gastrointestinal disorders, as well as pregnancy outcomes in pregnant women.. This study was a prospective study carried out between January 2016 and June 2017 and was performed on 226 pregnant women who attended four different health care centers to receive routine prenatal care. Sampling was done considering the inclusion criteria, in two steps: cluster sampling and random sampling. Data collection was done using a researcher-made checklist. The significance level was set at p = 0.05.. The average age of the participants was 26.10±6.27. The prevalence of pica in pregnant women in the first, second, and third trimesters was 9.3, 8, and 2.1%, respectively. The most common pica craving among pregnant women was for ice and frozen materials (68.2%). There was a statistically significant relationship between gastrointestinal disorders and anemia with pica (p < 0.001). There was also a significant relationship between birth weights of babies born to mothers with pica and those without pica (p = 0.005).. Pica in pregnant women had a significant relationship with gastrointestinal disorders and anemia during pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes. Thus, in addition to providing healthcare services, health care professionals should consider patients' pica practices and make the necessary interventions.

Topics: Adult; Anemia; Birth Weight; Checklist; Comorbidity; Correlation of Data; Female; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Pica; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Pregnancy Outcome; Pregnancy Trimesters; Prenatal Care; Prevalence; Prospective Studies

Geophagia, in the form of clay-eating, is often observed during pregnancy in the human population. The intent of this study was to determine the effects of kaolin (clay) ingestion on the maternal blood and embryonic development of the pregnant rat. Thirty-six Sprague-dawley female rats were divided into three groups: control diet, 20% kaolin diet, and iron-supplemented 20% kaolin diet. The diets were fed 37 to 68 days, 69 to 95 days, and 96 to 117 days prior to fertilization, and the same diets were fed for the duration of the gestation period. The rats fed the kaolin diet exhibited significant reductions in hemoglobin, hematocrit, and red blood cell levels, thus indicating maternal anemia. There was also a significant reduction in the birth weight of the pups born to kaolin fed rats. The kaolin fed rats receiving an iron supplement maintained hematocrit, hemoglobin, red blood cell levels, and pup weight within the normal range.

Topics: Animals; Birth Weight; Erythrocyte Count; Female; Hematocrit; Humans; Iron; Kaolin; Litter Size; Pica; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic; Rats

Topics: Apgar Score; Birth Weight; Child; Child Development; Child, Preschool; Environment; Female; Gestational Age; Humans; Infant; Language Development; Lead; Lead Poisoning; Male; Motor Skills; Pica; Psychological Tests; Socioeconomic Factors