Pica in the Pregnancy and Related Psychological Aspects

Based on a descriptive and exploratory research design, this study aimed to evaluate emotional (sings of stress, anxiety and depression) and coping indicators in seven pregnant women with diabetes and pica reporting practices. The pica reporting practices in their current pregnancies were identifi ed before they answered the following instruments for psychological evaluation: (a) Inventory of signs and symptoms of stress of Lipp (ISSL), to evaluate stress; (b) BECK Scales, BAI and BDI Inventory, to evaluate anxiety and depression; (c) Scales of Ways of Coping (EMEP), to identify coping strategies to deal with stress; (d) an Interview Guide created for this study. The pregnant women were interviewed individually and their reports were analyzed into macro-categories by the Bardin ́s methodology. Indicators of stress, anxiety and depression were found in all pregnant women, whose most reported practice was pagofagia (30.8%) and fruit with salt (30.8%). The verbal report revealed that all women had a feeling of satisfaction after the practice of pica. Given that the associations between this eating disorder and unfavorable outcomes, it is important to investigate the pica in order to propose a more effective prenatal care in improving the health of the mother-child dyad.