The influence of pica practice on nutritional status, stress and anxiety of pregnant women

Pica is a minor disorder in pregnancy associated with strong craving for food or non -food substances of little or no nutritional value. Objective: The study assesses the characteristics of pica practice among pregnant women and evaluates its influence on the nutritional status, anxiety and stress o...

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Main Authors: Susila Francis, Nalini Sirala Jagadeesh, Rajeswari Singaravelu, Aruna Subramaniam
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2022-09-01
Series:Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213398422001750
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author Susila Francis
Nalini Sirala Jagadeesh
Rajeswari Singaravelu
Aruna Subramaniam
author_facet Susila Francis
Nalini Sirala Jagadeesh
Rajeswari Singaravelu
Aruna Subramaniam
author_sort Susila Francis
collection DOAJ
description Pica is a minor disorder in pregnancy associated with strong craving for food or non -food substances of little or no nutritional value. Objective: The study assesses the characteristics of pica practice among pregnant women and evaluates its influence on the nutritional status, anxiety and stress of pregnant women. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant women attending the antenatal unit of a tertiary care hospital in Chennai, India. Pregnant women took a survey for presence of pica practice. Women with pica practice were assessed for dietary information, haemoglobin, pre-pregnant body mass index and stool analysis. Women's anxiety and stress were assessed using Beck anxiety inventory scale and Lipp Stress Inventory Scale. Results: Out of 739 pregnant women screened, 220 (29.7%) women were found to practice pica. Of the 220 women, 42.2% ingested food substances, 41% ingested non-food substance and 16.8% consumed both. The most common substances craved for were: unripe mango (42.2%), pagophagia (23.8%), ash (41%) and geophagia (19%). Amongst the women with pica, 67.3% women had anaemia, 36% were underweight and 9.5% were overweight. About 40% women had low anxiety, 43% had moderate anxiety and 17% had severe anxiety. Distribution of women based on phases of stress found 15.4% in alert phase, 65% in resistance phase, 1.4% in near exhaustion phase, and 18.2% in exhaustions phase. Conclusion: The study identified that pica practice is not limited to ingestion of edible substances alone. Women practicing pica during pregnancy had anaemia, increased levels of stress and anxiety.
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spelling doaj.art-9066960cbea8414c9f822f6d26e3aaa02022-12-22T04:15:56ZengElsevierClinical Epidemiology and Global Health2213-39842022-09-0117101133The influence of pica practice on nutritional status, stress and anxiety of pregnant womenSusila Francis0Nalini Sirala Jagadeesh1Rajeswari Singaravelu2Aruna Subramaniam3Sri Ramachandra Faculty of Nursing, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, IndiaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Nursing, Sri Ramachandra Faculty of Nursing, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, India; Corresponding author. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Nursing, Sri Ramachandra Faculty of Nursing, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research Chennai, 600116, Tamil Nadu, India.Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Nursing, Sri Ramachandra Faculty of Nursing, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, IndiaDepartment of Community Health Nursing, Sri Ramachandra Faculty of Nursing, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, IndiaPica is a minor disorder in pregnancy associated with strong craving for food or non -food substances of little or no nutritional value. Objective: The study assesses the characteristics of pica practice among pregnant women and evaluates its influence on the nutritional status, anxiety and stress of pregnant women. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant women attending the antenatal unit of a tertiary care hospital in Chennai, India. Pregnant women took a survey for presence of pica practice. Women with pica practice were assessed for dietary information, haemoglobin, pre-pregnant body mass index and stool analysis. Women's anxiety and stress were assessed using Beck anxiety inventory scale and Lipp Stress Inventory Scale. Results: Out of 739 pregnant women screened, 220 (29.7%) women were found to practice pica. Of the 220 women, 42.2% ingested food substances, 41% ingested non-food substance and 16.8% consumed both. The most common substances craved for were: unripe mango (42.2%), pagophagia (23.8%), ash (41%) and geophagia (19%). Amongst the women with pica, 67.3% women had anaemia, 36% were underweight and 9.5% were overweight. About 40% women had low anxiety, 43% had moderate anxiety and 17% had severe anxiety. Distribution of women based on phases of stress found 15.4% in alert phase, 65% in resistance phase, 1.4% in near exhaustion phase, and 18.2% in exhaustions phase. Conclusion: The study identified that pica practice is not limited to ingestion of edible substances alone. Women practicing pica during pregnancy had anaemia, increased levels of stress and anxiety.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213398422001750AnemiaAnxietyPicaPregnancyNutritional statusStress
spellingShingle Susila Francis
Nalini Sirala Jagadeesh
Rajeswari Singaravelu
Aruna Subramaniam
The influence of pica practice on nutritional status, stress and anxiety of pregnant women
Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health
Anemia
Anxiety
Pica
Pregnancy
Nutritional status
Stress
title The influence of pica practice on nutritional status, stress and anxiety of pregnant women
title_full The influence of pica practice on nutritional status, stress and anxiety of pregnant women
title_fullStr The influence of pica practice on nutritional status, stress and anxiety of pregnant women
title_full_unstemmed The influence of pica practice on nutritional status, stress and anxiety of pregnant women
title_short The influence of pica practice on nutritional status, stress and anxiety of pregnant women
title_sort influence of pica practice on nutritional status stress and anxiety of pregnant women
topic Anemia
Anxiety
Pica
Pregnancy
Nutritional status
Stress
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213398422001750
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