PICA During pregnancy, it is not uncommon to crave certain foods at random times of the day or night. With all the hormonal changes a women’s body endures, dill pickles or frozen yogurt can be the simple fix. Conversely, it is extremely important to be aware that these cravings can take a turning point for desires of more daring and dangerous substances. PICA is an important term to be familiar with that is defined as the ingestion of non-food items for at least one month (Upadhyaya & Sharma, 2012). It comes from the Latin root word magpie, a bird known for eating almost anything, and coincides with an individuals urge to try various and sometimes harmful substances that are non-nutritious (Jyothi, 2014). The top three foods commonly consumed
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The most common mineral deficits noted are caused by zinc, calcium, or iron linking the diagnosis to iron deficient anemia (Rabel, Leitman, & Miller, 2014). A systematically reviewed study by Young and Golden (2014), showed that pica resulted in low mean corpuscular volume, decreased iron, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and plasma than those without pica. Another study study by Rabel, Leitman, & Miller (2014), revealed that 51% of patients who are diagnosed with iron deficiency can contribute it to pagophagia. These points began to show evidence and correlation between PICA in pregnancy and the need for supplemental …show more content…
Furthermore, it is important to know the complications that can surround certain substances, which also dictates what diagnostic to order. For instance, pagophagia is linked to low levels of iron, zinc, and calcium so a complete blood count and basic metabolic panel will be ordered to assess for iron-deficient anemia. Another example is ingestion of venetian blinds or other hard items can promote gastrointestinal obstructions, which would require further imaging to evaluate the colon (Nirmala, 2015).
Additionally, properly diagnosing and treating pica can prevent legal and ethical dilemmas from arising. Overlooking important history questions, signs and symptoms, or misdiagnosing pica can cause serious harm to the mother and fetus which can turn into dangerous complications. Specifically, pica in pregnancy can increase blood pressure, cause preterm labor, maternal and fetal anemia, and infant death (Cardwell, 2013). All factors must be taken account in a timely manner in order to keep the patient and mother healthy and stable.
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The most common mineral deficits noted are caused by zinc, calcium, or iron linking the diagnosis to iron deficient anemia (Rabel, Leitman, & Miller, 2014). A systematically reviewed study by Young and Golden (2014), showed that pica resulted in low mean corpuscular volume, decreased iron, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and plasma than those without pica. Another study study by Rabel, Leitman, & Miller (2014), revealed that 51% of patients who are diagnosed with iron deficiency can contribute it to pagophagia. These points began to show evidence and correlation between PICA in pregnancy and the need for supplemental …show more content…
Furthermore, it is important to know the complications that can surround certain substances, which also dictates what diagnostic to order. For instance, pagophagia is linked to low levels of iron, zinc, and calcium so a complete blood count and basic metabolic panel will be ordered to assess for iron-deficient anemia. Another example is ingestion of venetian blinds or other hard items can promote gastrointestinal obstructions, which would require further imaging to evaluate the colon (Nirmala, 2015).
Additionally, properly diagnosing and treating pica can prevent legal and ethical dilemmas from arising. Overlooking important history questions, signs and symptoms, or misdiagnosing pica can cause serious harm to the mother and fetus which can turn into dangerous complications. Specifically, pica in pregnancy can increase blood pressure, cause preterm labor, maternal and fetal anemia, and infant death (Cardwell, 2013). All factors must be taken account in a timely manner in order to keep the patient and mother healthy and stable.
Comprehensive