Pregnant and Craving Dirt – Is That Normal?

I am 6 and a half months pregnant and have just recently been experiencing shortness of breath. Is this normal? Also I have been experiencing cravings for dirt! Is there anything you can suggest that isn’t actually dirt?
Thank you,

~ Jane

 

Hi Jane-
Both of your symptoms, shortness of breath and a craving for dirt (which is known as pica or geophagy), may actually be related: they’re both signs of iron-deficiency anemia. Anemia is very common during pregnancy. Your care provider can check for it with a simple blood test, and will probably recommend that you take iron supplements in addition to your prenatal vitamin (most doctors recommend a 30 mg. supplement for all women in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters), and increase the amount of iron-rich foods in your diet. You don’t want to eat dirt, of course, what with the risk of parasites and contaminants, so try some iron-rich foods. Shellfish, such as clams and oysters, are surprisingly high in iron, as are fortified cereals, red meats, lentils, blackstrap molasses, and nuts (particularly cashews and pine nuts). Cooking your food with a cast-iron pan is also an easy and simple way to increase your intake. More iron sources are listen below. Good luck!

Food sources of iron

Cereal, ready to eat, fortified	1–16 mg per cup
Clams, canned or fresh	11.2 mg per 1/4 cup 23 mg. per 3 ounces cooked
Burrito with black beans and a fortified flour tortilla	6 mg each
Beef liver, fried	5.3 mg per 3 oz.
Braunschweiger (liver sausage)	5.3 mg per 2 oz.
Molasses, blackstrap	5 mg per tablespoon
Baked beans	5 mg per cup
Oysters, cooked	3.8 mg per oz.
Sirloin steak	2.9 mg per 3 oz.
Baked potato with skin	2.8 mg per medium potato
Lentil and ham soup	2.6 mg per cup
Soup, beef noodle	2.4 mg per cup
Rice, white, enriched	2.3 mg per cup
Pop tart, fortified	2.2 mg per pastry
Enriched pasta	2 mg per cooked cup
Ground beef, lean	1.8 mg per 3 oz.
Tofu, firm	1.8 mg per 1/2 cup
Apricots, dried halves	1.7 mg per 10
Cashews, roasted	1.7 mg per oz.
Spinach, frozen	1.5 mg per 1/2 cup
Bread, whole wheat	1.2 mg per slice (varies with brand)
Broccoli, fresh cooked	0.7 mg per 1/2 cup
Egg	0.7 mg per egg