Pica Health Dictionary

Appetite is the craving for the food necessary to maintain the body and to supply it with suf?cient energy to carry on its functions. The ultimate cause of appetite is a question of supply and demand in the muscles and various organs, but the proximate cause is doubtful. Unlike hunger, it is probably an acquired, rather than an inborn, sensation. Whatever other factors may be concerned, the tone of the STOMACH is of importance. Signi?cant factors in stimulating appetite are anticipation and the sight and smell of well-cooked food. Individuals who eat unsuitable substances such as faeces are described as suffering from pica, which occurs sometimes during pregnancy, in children, and often in mental disorders. The two chief disorders, however, are excessive increase of appetite, and diminution or loss of appetite (see also EATING DISORDERS).

Excessive appetite may simply be a bad habit, due to habitual over-indulgence in good food and resulting in GOUT, OBESITY, etc. – according to the other habits and constitution of the person. It may also be a sign of DIABETES MELLITUS or thyrotoxicosis (see under THYROID GLAND, DISEASES OF).

Diminished appetite is a sign common to almost all diseases causing general weakness, because the activity of the stomach and the secretion of gastric juice fail early when vital power is low. It is the most common sign of DYSPEPSIA due to gastritis, and of cancer of the stomach. In some cases it is a manifestation of stress or strain such as domestic worry or dif?culties at work. Indeed, appetite seems to be particularly susceptible to emotional disturbances, as is evidenced by the linked conditions of BULIMIA (pathological overeating) and anorexia nervosa (pathological dieting) – see also EATING DISORDERS.... appetite

The period from conception to birth. Pregnancy begins with the fertilization of an ovum (egg) and its implantation. The egg develops into the placenta and the embryo, which grows to form the fetus. Most eggs implant into the uterus. Very occasionally, an egg implants into an abnormal site, such as a fallopian tube, resulting in an ectopic pregnancy.

A normal pregnancy lasts around 40 weeks from the first day of the woman’s last menstrual period. It is divided into 3 stages (trimesters) of 3 months each. For the first 8 weeks of pregnancy, the developing baby is called an embryo; thereafter it is called a fetus.

In the 1st trimester the breasts start to swell and may become tender. Morning sickness is common. The baby’s major organs have developed by the end of this stage. During the 2nd trimester, the mother’s nipples enlarge and darken and weight rises rapidly. The baby is usually felt moving by 22 weeks. During the 3rd trimester, stretch marks and colostrum may appear, and Braxton Hick’s contractions may be felt. The baby’s head engages at about 36 weeks.

Common, minor health problems during pregnancy include constipation, haemorrhoids, heartburn, pica, swollen ankles, and varicose veins. Other common disorders include urinary tract infections, stress incontinence (see incontinence, urinary), and candidiasis.Complications of pregnancy and disorders that affect it include antepartum haemorrhage; diabetic pregnancy; miscarriage; polyhydramnios; pre-eclampsia; prematurity; and Rhesus incompatibility. (See also childbirth; fetal heart monitoring; pregnancy, multiple.)... pregnancy