What Pregnancy Cravings Say About Your Health

Pregnancy is a rollercoaster ride with its own highs and lows. When it comes to food cravings, almost majority of women experience it at some time of their pregnancy. Blame it on the hormones but most women do crave different foods throughout their pregnancy. These cravings are not much to worry about unless it starts affecting your weight and in turn, your bodily functions. The greater weight gain can lead to potential health complications in pregnancy or at time of delivery.

Having a health coverage can be the best thing you can do to protect you and your child’s health. However, different kinds of insurance plans offer different coverage options for you and your child. We will dig deep into it but first, let us talk about food cravings and their association with the potential health problems if any. 

Why Pregnancy Cravings Happen

While majority of the women experience some sort of craving throughout their pregnancy, the underlying cause of these is still not determined. It is believed that these cravings are often triggered due to following reasons: 

• The high levels of hormones like estrogen and progesterone often result in different kind of cravings

• Food aversions can also happen due to fluctuations in your hormonal levels. This has to do with protecting the mother from certain food borne illnesses. It is believed that craving for bland food like carbohydrates can help with nausea and morning sickness.

• The expectation of having a craving during pregnancy in different cultures often result in indulging in more than one should otherwise.

When You Should Be Worried

Although these food cravings are harmless for many, but indulging in fatty foods or non-food cravings can seem like a red flag for certain health complications. When it comes to food items, any raw or undercooked seafood, vegetables, unpasteurizsed dairy items and juices, alcohol and herbal teas are a big no. These are potentially harmful during pregnancy and one should avoid consuming any of these. Moreover, there are certain kind of non-food cravings like dirt, clay or paint chips. Experiencing any of these cravings might be a sign of iron deficiency, which is often associated with the condition known as Pica. If you have any cravings for these non-food items, then you must directly seek medical help because a timely diagnosis can help you stay healthy throughout the course of your pregnancy.

Another worrying sign during your pregnancy journey can be decreased perception of sweet foods and indulging in more sweet cravings. This can be an earlier sign of Gestational diabetes that can often lead to further complications like Preclampsia, Emergency C-section, weight gain and macrosomia. There is an increased desire for sweetened drinks during the second or third trimester, primarily due to gestational diabetes. The increased weight gain and cravings for sweetened foods can be an indication for developing gestational diabetes later in pregnancy. Hence, one should keep a check on the weight and dietary intake to stay healthy during pregnancy.

Mothers who have gestational diabetes not only put their health at risk but also of their child too. Uncontrolled sugar levels often lead to stillbirth or early death of the newborn. Moreover, it can also lead to obesity and developing type 2 diabetes later in life for the mother.

Getting the Right Health Coverage

Ensuring the health of mother and child is primary concern for any individual. Hence, one needs to prepare ahead to get the health and finances of family in check for this life changing experience.

Your protection for your child begins even before birth. Hence, a plan like PRUMy Child Plus is best suited to cover your child from womb to adulthood with comprehensive coverage for all the future needs.