Craving smell of dirt/dust... but know I'm not iron deficient

[Anonymous]

I'm 30 weeks pregnant, and about 2 weeks ago, I started craving the smell of dirt/dust. It's not so much earthy dirt as dirty, dusty dirt -- like concrete dust or rocks or something from a construction site. On my drive to work in the morning past a construction site, I find myself wanting to stop and inhale the dirty dusty cement! Of course, I don't!

I know this can be a sign of iron deficiency, but I was just tested at 28 weeks and didn't test positive for an iron deficiency. When I was pregnant before, I did test as anemic at 28 weeks and went on an iron supplement, but then I never had this same sort of smell craving or anything like it.

Is it possible this is a different mineral deficiency? Some weird pregnancy thing? It's not terribly disturbing but is noticeable at various times throughout the day. I have an appointment later this week and will ask about it then but until then, I was curious to know if others have had similar experiences and what it turned out to be (if anything).

[Anonymous]

This is an actual thing called pica (sp?). My friend had it and she told me she wanted to eat dirt (she didn't). I don't know if there's anything you can do for it, but you might want to check. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I had pica very early in pregnancy (like right after I tested, about 4-6 weeks).

I drank the most mineral-y tasting mineral water I could find (San Pelligrino is good). But yeah. I wanted to scoop up handfuls of dirt. Or suck on forks for that kind of metallic tang you get sometimes. Weird.

[Anonymous]

Pica can get very strong when you are pregnant.

[Anonymous]

I developed this around week 34, but for soap. Oh my god, toilet bowl cleaner, body wash, dishwashing soap - I wanted to drink it all. Had PROM three weeks later, so I now wonder if for me it meant some kind of change that we cannot test for.

[Anonymous]

ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

[Anonymous]

Um, not to freak you out, but my doc said to come in immediately if I was craving dirt.

(I am anemic, and crave ice - dirt could indicate something else??)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Um, not to freak you out, but my doc said to come in immediately if I was craving dirt.

(I am anemic, and crave ice - dirt could indicate something else??)

I think this is overly alarmist. This article and several others I've seen suggest this is fairly common: http://theweek.com/articles/485983/why-pregnant-women-eat-dirt

Of course, you want to rule out mineral deficiencies, but I don't think a minor sense of wanting to eat or smell dirt or anything else is one of those things worth "immediately" contacting the doctor. Maybe call on Monday or just ask at your appointment if it's not super late in the week. But if the urge gets stronger and/or you actually start literally eating dirt, then I would call sooner!

[Anonymous]

OP - what did your doctor say?

[Anonymous]

I did this too at some point during my pregnancy. I craved dust and the detergent aisle at the store made my mouth salivate. so weird.

I did end up being anemic. so maybe it's possible that in the two weeks since you were checked, your iron levels dropped?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm 30 weeks pregnant, and about 2 weeks ago, I started craving the smell of dirt/dust. It's not so much earthy dirt as dirty, dusty dirt -- like concrete dust or rocks or something from a construction site. On my drive to work in the morning past a construction site, I find myself wanting to stop and inhale the dirty dusty cement! Of course, I don't!

I know this can be a sign of iron deficiency, but I was just tested at 28 weeks and didn't test positive for an iron deficiency. When I was pregnant before, I did test as anemic at 28 weeks and went on an iron supplement, but then I never had this same sort of smell craving or anything like it.

Is it possible this is a different mineral deficiency? Some weird pregnancy thing? It's not terribly disturbing but is noticeable at various times throughout the day. I have an appointment later this week and will ask about it then but until then, I was curious to know if others have had similar experiences and what it turned out to be (if anything).

go look up motherdirt.com and aobiome.com

[Anonymous]

I craved the smell of cotton/linen scented air freshener and gasoline. It was weird as hell.

[Anonymous]

I was obsessed with hospital ice and where I could get it. I chewed it all day and anytime I could. I was anemic.

[Anonymous]

my sister had this. no iron definancy. it was so bad she boiled rocks to sterilize them and then sucked on them when she was driving. I thought she was insane.

[Anonymous]

Calcium deficiency maybe. Or zinc.