Pica and Eating Attitudes: A Study of High-Risk Pregnancies

Objective To describe and determine the association between the occurrence of pica and eating attitudes in women with high-risk pregnancies and to determine the prevalence of pica during pregnancy. Methods A cross-sectional and prospective 24-month study was conducted with 913 women with high-risk pregnancies. Structured interviews were carried out and the Eating Attitudes Test was applied. Results Pica was diagnosed in 5.7 % of the pregnant women, and its most commonly practiced type was geophagia (57.7 %). The association between pica and signs related to the eating attitudes: “to be considered too thin by others” ( p