Food Aversions and Cravings during Early Pregnancy: Association with Nausea and Vomiting

• Published in: Ecology of food and nutrition Vol. 50; no. 3; pp. 197 - 214
• Main Authors: Weigel, M. Margaret, Coe, Kathryn, Castro, Nancy P., Caiza, Maria Elena, Tello, Nora, Reyes, Monica
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, PA Taylor & Francis Group 01.05.2011; Taylor & Francis; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Ecuador; Feeding and Eating Disorders - etiology; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Food; food aversions; food cravings; Food Preferences; Fruit; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; maternal-embryo protection hypothesis; morning sickness; Nausea; Nausea - complications; Odorants; pica; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Prospective Studies; Studies; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Vomiting; Vomiting - complications; Young Adult; Human; Embryo; Pregnancy disorders; food cravings; Craving; Nausea; maternal-embryo protection hypothesis; Eating disorder; food aversions; Pregnancy; Pica; Association; Vomiting; Digestive diseases; Early; Protection; Morning sickness; Food
• ISSN: 0367-0244; 1543-5237
• DOI: 10.1080/03670244.2011.568906

The prospective cohort study examined whether Ecuadorian women with early pregnancy nausea and vomiting (NVP) are more likely to develop food aversions and cravings, and if so, whether the specific foods identified as aversive or craved are the same as those predicted by the popular maternal-embryo protection hypothesis (MEPH). Consistent with MEPH predictions, women with NVP were more likely to report increased odor sensitivity and aversions for some predicted "toxic" foods and more likely to crave fruits. However, other hypothesis predictions were not supported. The relationship of food aversions and cravings with NVP appears more complicated than that explained by the MEPH.