Pregnancy Cravings: When They Start and What They Mean

How common are pregnancy cravings?

Very. A 2014 review of the research by Natalia Orloff and Julia Hormes, of the psychology department at the University at Albany in New York, put the figure at an estimated 50 to 90% of women in the United States. In one British sample of 99 pregnant women, 61% reported strong urges for specific foods. The same review notes that very few women crave things only in pregnancy; most had cravings before, too.

The NHS lists "cravings for new foods or a loss of interest in foods you usually enjoy" among the early signs that might mean you are pregnant, which tells you how ordinary they are.

When do pregnancy cravings start?

Often early. The NHS says early symptoms of pregnancy usually start when you are around 4 to 6 weeks pregnant, and cravings are on its list. Its week 12 guide lists "new likes and dislikes for food and drink" among the symptoms at that stage.

The type of craving may shift too. The review describes cravings for savoury foods as strongest in the first trimester, while a preference for sweet foods peaks in the second for many women.

What do people crave?

Mostly the foods you would guess. Across the studies Orloff and Hormes reviewed, the most commonly craved items in the US were sweets such as ice cream and candy, dairy, starchy carbohydrates, fruit, vegetables and fast food. A survey of pregnant teenagers turned up pickles, ice cream and pizza.

What people crave depends heavily on where they live. The review describes cravings as common across cultures, but with culture-specific differences in the foods: in a sample of 545 pregnant women in Tanzania, the most common cravings were meat and fish, vegetables, fruit and grains.

What causes cravings, and is it your body asking for something?

Nobody knows, and the most popular explanation has the least support. The review examined four common theories: hormonal changes, nutritional deficits, active ingredients in the craved foods, and cultural and psychological factors. It concluded that the main hypotheses "receive little support", with the notable exception of cultural and psychosocial factors.

The review's case against "your body needs it" is simple. If cravings were the body asking for missing nutrients, pregnant women would mostly crave foods rich in what pregnancy needs, such as dark leafy greens, beans and lentils. Instead, the review found most studies point to sweets, high-fat foods and fast food. It gives a neat example: a typical serving of ice cream contains about half the calcium of the same weight of tofu.

Changes in taste and smell may play a part: the review cites studies in which up to 26% of pregnant women reported altered taste and 65.4% changes in smell. Our page on metallic taste and food aversions covers the other side of that coin.

Cravings for things that aren't food: pica

This is the part of the topic that matters for your health. Pica means repeatedly eating, or craving, things that are not food. Australia's healthdirect service lists the common ones: soil and clay, ice cubes, raw starch such as cornflour or laundry starch, uncooked rice, paper or cardboard, and paint or metal. It says pica is most common in pregnancy and in children.

A 2016 meta-analysis of 70 studies estimated that pica affects 27.8% of women during pregnancy and after birth, with wide variation between studies. Rates were higher in Africa, rose as anaemia became more common, and fell as education levels rose.

The link with iron is the reason to mention it. The NHS lists "wanting to eat non-food items, such as paper or ice (pica)" among the less common symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia, symptoms it notes are not usually connected to pregnancy itself. It also says pregnancy is a very common cause of iron deficiency anaemia, most often from a lack of iron in your diet. On the NHS schedule, the blood test at your 28-week appointment checks your iron levels.

The craving itself is not dangerous, healthdirect says, but eating the items can be: risks include stomach problems, blockages in the bowel, damage to your teeth, and poisoning or infection from things like soil. It also says the thing people most need to hear: your doctor will not judge you. If your doctor thinks you may have pica, healthdirect says they will refer you for a blood test to check your iron levels and for signs of lead poisoning. Our pages on anaemia in pregnancy and gardening and soil in pregnancy go further.

Is it fine to give in to cravings?

Mostly, within two limits. The first is the list of foods to avoid in pregnancy, which a craving does not override: the NHS says to avoid liver, for example. Check individual foods on our pages for liver and pâté.

The second is quantity. The NHS says you will probably feel hungrier than usual but you do not need to "eat for 2", even with twins or triplets, and that in the third trimester you can add about 200 calories a day, roughly two slices of wholemeal toast with margarine. It suggests swapping high-fat or sugary snacks for things like yoghurt with fruit, dried apricots, or beans on toast. Our page on always being hungry in pregnancy covers the practical side.

Do cravings predict whether it's a boy or a girl?

No. Sweet for a girl and salty for a boy is folklore, and a search of the medical literature found no study supporting it. We look at where it comes from in our guide to old wives' tales about boy or girl.

When to talk to your midwife or GP about cravings

• You crave or eat things that are not food, such as ice, soil, clay, starch or paper. healthdirect says to see your doctor, because it can be a sign of iron deficiency.
• You have signs of anaemia. The NHS lists tiredness and lack of energy, shortness of breath, noticeable heartbeats, paler skin than usual and headaches.
• Aversions have taken over and you are struggling to eat. See our pages on no appetite in pregnancy and hyperemesis gravidarum.

If you think you have swallowed something poisonous, get urgent advice straight away; healthdirect says not to wait for symptoms. The warning signs it lists include stomach pain or vomiting, difficulty breathing, seizures, and a burning feeling on the lips, tongue or throat.

Frequently asked questions

When do pregnancy cravings start?

Often in the first trimester. The NHS lists new cravings among the early signs of pregnancy, which usually start around 4 to 6 weeks. In one study of 400 women, 76% had craved at least one food by 13 weeks. Cravings usually peak in the second trimester and drop off after the birth.

What are the weirdest pregnancy cravings?

The strange ones worth taking seriously are non-food cravings, called pica: ice, soil, clay, raw starch or paper. A 2016 meta-analysis estimated pica affects 27.8% of women in pregnancy and after birth. It is linked to iron deficiency, so tell your midwife or GP rather than keeping it to yourself.

Do pregnancy cravings mean you're having a boy or a girl?

No. We found no study showing that craving sweet or salty food says anything about your baby's sex. The 2014 review found the best-supported explanations for cravings were cultural and psychosocial. Our page on when you can find out the sex covers what does work.

Can cravings be an early sign of pregnancy?

Yes. The NHS includes "cravings for new foods or a loss of interest in foods you usually enjoy" in its list of early signs, which usually begin around 4 to 6 weeks. They are not specific to pregnancy, though, so a pregnancy test is the way to find out.