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Many studies have reported that food aversions are less likely to occur than the craving themselves. It seems that food aversions tend to pop up at the same time as morning sickness, which makes sense. If you are spending most of your day feeling nauseous or vomiting, then it makes sense you would be repulsed by certain foods. There has been no link to craving and morning sickness, or any other condition of pregnancy thus far. It has been reported that women tend to crave sweet foods during the second trimester; even more so than if they craved them during the first trimester. They have linked many cravings as a mix of behavioral, physiological, and psychological. They believe it could have to do with comfort more than actually being deficient or “needing” a particular food. The most commonly craved foods reported are ice cream, sweets, candy (especially chocolate), fruit and fish.

The only things that the experts agree on when talking food cravings is that many women report having them. Other than that they have two conflicting views. Many believe women “think” they should have craving so that is what they do. We see pregnant women on television and they all make their husbands run to 80 grocery stores at 2 AM for some strange flavored ice cream and pickles. So they believe we have been programmed to behave this way. The other school of thought is that it is the effects of hormones that make some foods taste good and others taste awful while pregnant. The chemical changes in the body effects the sense of taste and smell. Some cravings have been linked to specific vitamin deficiencies, even though the foods craved aren’t a good source of the vitamin. Iron deficiency has been linked to craving ice, laundry starch, and cigarette butts. Craving non-food items is called Pica and is very common in pregnancy. A woman will eat such things as dirt, rocks, cigarette butts, and paper. If a woman suffers from this she should see her doctor for treatment right away. Blood work can be done to see if there are deficiencies and supplements can be given that will hopefully make the Pica go away.