2011 Theses Bachelor's

Pica in Pregnancy Among Mexican-Born Women: Effects of Magnesium Carbonate Ingestion

Boulay, Giselle

Pica is a condition characterized by the repetitive ingestion of non-food items for more than one month. Due to the bizarre nature of this condition, pica has been studied and theorized over for many years. It is most often found among children, the mentally ill, and pregnant women.

In regards to pica during pregnancy, the literature on pica covers the obviously detrimental effects on mothers of consuming clearly harmful substances. Magnesium carbonate, more commonly referred to as chalk, is one of the most frequently ingested substances by women during pregnancy. While often found within common brands of antacids, magnesium carbonate is frequently sold in block form and advertised as edible products within certain regions of the United States and Mexico.

The immediate effects of chalk ingestion upon a pregnant mother has been explored to some extent, but not to the degree in which the effects of clearly harmful substances have been examined. A large gap is found in the literature when considering the effects of more benign substances such as magnesium carbonate not only on the mother, but the developing fetus as well. More specifically, the current literature fails to address the question of whether magnesium carbonate ingestion during pregnancy could carry enduring, long-term effects for a fetus post-birth that could detrimentally influence later cognitive, motor, and/or behavioral development.