chewing ice all the time = picca?

cje63017 · March 2014

I have been craving ice lately in my third trimester, specifically it started around when I was 8.5 months pregnant. I have heard that this means I have low iron (and/or pica which is craving non-food items). Does anyone know anything about this? I feel like if I had low iron, I would have had this craving all throughout my pregnancy but this has just started. Any insight would be appreciated!

Justabean3 · March 2014

I don't think ice is considered pica but yes it is usually related to low iron or dehydration

I craved chalk last pregnancy, now that is Pica

spartybride3 · March 2014

Pica is when you want to eat things like wood and lead.

Justabean3 · March 2014

To her credit

"Chewing on ice is a variant of pica, an eating disorder characterized by craving and eating non-food items as diverse as dirt, glue and hair (and worse)."

Justabean3 · March 2014

LoisLayn23 said:
Ice is a food item.

Yes that is correct but it IS considered a variant of PICA.

Justabean3 · March 2014

Oh true. I see what you're saying

PrimRoseMama · March 2014

Get your iron levels checked. Might be anemia.

PrimRoseMama · March 2014

"Yes, a desire to chew ice is a sign that you may have an iron deficiency and that you could be anemic. This type of abnormal craving for non-food items is called pica. “Ice eating is the most common, but eating starch, paper or clay are also common forms of pica and patients will not usually volunteer this type of behavior,” said Dr. Jerry Spivak, a hematologist and Professor of Medicine and Oncology at the Johns Hopkins University."

source here

dogsombrero · March 2014

You could be anemic, it's a classic symptom of anemia so please get your iron levels checked.

Justabean3 · March 2014

No but when I was pregnant I wanted to eat chalk.. they looked like fluffy little pillows of goodness just like those peppermints that dissolve.

They diagnosed me with PICA, I was also so anemic I got a blood transfusion at birth.

So I'm pretty sure they are related

dovienash13 · March 2014

I've been eating/chewing Ice since I hit my 3rd trimester. I'm 35wks now and the craving has increased. I was wondering the same thing. So it looks like I'll be talking to my MW tomorrow at my appt.

dragonfly711 · March 2014

Pica is when you eat dirt, or other non food items. Ice is not pica. Talk to your Dr. Never heard of eating a lot of ice during pregnancy until this thread. Interesting.

kpurvis86 · March 2014

I had low iron on and off but it didn't start til 3rd trimester..this is my 3rd baby craved with other 2 as well and ive had lots of moms and my ob tell me this is a normal prego raving

Ashleypixie · March 2014

I crave ice every day. I am slightly anemic. It is refereed to as PICA because it's an appetite for non nutritive substance, possibly related to low iron or some other nutritional deficiencies. It's more common in your later months due to the nutritional demands of your baby. It wouldn't hurt to take an iron supplement if the ice cravings are really bothering you, but unless your severely anemic then your baby is getting all of your iron supply. Talk to your DR about what and how much iron you should be getting but FYI, Zaxbys, Sonic, and RaceTrac have the good pellet ice

cje63017 · March 2014

I guess if I am going to have a variant of pica, at least it is ice that I am craving. OB said that it is a strain of pica, because ice is non nutritive.

I personally just like the crunching of the ice and the coldness.

I talked to my OB and he just told me to take an iron supplement because my iron levels were not that low at my 28 week appointment when I took the glucose test and (apparently) a bunch of other blood tests. He wasn't too concerned and didn't feel the need to prescribe me something stronger. He also said that its common for the cravings to pick up in 3rd trimester because baby is growing a bunch so all my levels are getting depleted.

Thanks for the help! I'm glad I'm not alone!

jjtyler · April 2014

I am not anemic and I have been chewing ice for weeks, lol. I LOVE the crunching and coldness as well.

When I run out of ice, I switch to Chex, lol. Crunchy, crunchy.

I also hear that ice chewing can be linked to sexual frustration...which makes me wonder why the hubby isn't fighting me for it, hahaha!!!

beaarthur4 · April 2014

I started out craving chalk, which I kind of satisfy by eating tums (I just wish they were unflavored). Now the cravings are starting to expand…to gravel and ice. Obviously I can control myself and NOT eat gravel or chalk, but the ice is easily done.

My OB said my iron levels were borderline low and told me to take iron. It hasn't done anything to alleviate the PICA.

Justabean3 · April 2014

Haha it won't until you deliver

I wanted chalk to whole time and if I was around it I had to tell myself no no no...
But those soft peppermints helped for the texture purpose

Mimaloo · April 2014

I crave ice water but not just ice by itself. It's a recent craving - as in it started about a week and a half ago.

darkangel42 · April 2014

I've wanted to chew cold things all along, it started with wanting to put glass beads in my mouth (I didn't) and then moved on to wanting ice in my mouth and now just anything cold (leftover chinese food straight from the fridge is a favorite).

Iron levels have been fine all along, I'm just odd.

Cooper611 · April 2014

Chewing ice IS in the PICA category actually. Obviously not as harmful as other items, but still non-nutritional. With Both pregnancies I did have a nice obsession, until I added an iron supplement along with my prenatal. Tell your md and they will check your iron level. GL.

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