ISSN 2394-966X International Journal of Novel Research in Life Sciences Vol. 2, Issue 5, pp: (36-40), Month: September-October 2015, Available at: www.noveltyjournals.com Page | 36 Novelty Journals Prevalence of Pica Behaviour among Pregnant Women in the Bibiani-Anhwiaso Bekwai district in the Western Region of Ghana Isaac Boadu, Faustina O. Mensah, Jeffery K. Dadson Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology-Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) –Kumasi Abstract: Some pregnant women crave for non-food items with little or no nutritional value. This is called pica. The purpose of this study was to find the prevalence of pica behaviour among pregnant women residing in rural and urban environs of Bibiani-Anhwiaso Bekwai District in the Western Region of Ghana and to evaluate the possible medical risk associated with the pica practices. A total of 400 pregnant women who were receiving antenatal care at two health centres, Divine Love hospital and Bibiani government hospital were interviewed using a questionnaire. Information on maternal haemoglobin levels, blood pressures as well as available birth weights of babies of the pregnant women were recorded based on their medical records. The prevalence of pica in the total population studied was 30.25% (n= 121) with a prevalence of 63.64% (n=77) in the rural group and 36.36% (n = 44) in the urban group. The ingestion of white clay (61.16%), red clay (16.53%) and ice (8.26%) were high among the pregnant women. White clay (58.44%, n=45) was the common pica item among the rural group and ice (20.45%, n=9) recorded the highest in the urban group. Haemoglobin levels of pregnant women practicing pica were lower than the non-pica pregnant women in all the three trimesters of pregnancy (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in the mean birth weight of babies born to pica and non-pica pregnant women (p>0.05). These findings suggest that pica is prevalent among pregnant women in the District and hence the need for education to create awareness. There is also the need to educate pregnant women about healthy nutritional practices. Keywords: Pica, haemoglobin, anaemia, pregnancy, amylophagia, geophagia. 1. INTRODUCTION Most early pregnancies bring pleasure and happiness to the expectant mother. However, the nine months period may be associated with a number of complications. The mothers’ health during and after pregnancy, may be affected by genetics, exposure to environmental toxins and a variety of nutritionally linked problems with symptoms that are sometimes very unpleasant and difficult to tolerate (Doerr, 2002). Complications which may arise from pregnancy include diabetes, anaemia, constipation, vomiting, nausea, pregnancy-induced hypertension, aversions and cravings for non-food items (pica) (Margaret, 2007). Pica is the pathological act of eating non-food items or normal food constituents with little or no nutritional value (Callahan, 2003). Such non-food substances include clay, ice, burnt matches, soot, charcoal, cigarette ashes, etc. (Walker et al., 1985). There are several forms of pica, depicting the type of non-food item that is eaten. Some of these include pagophagia (ice eating), amylophagia (starch eating) and geophagia (clay and dirt eating). Pica behaviour is mostly found in young children, pregnant women, and people with developmental disabilities and people whose family or ethnic groups include eating certain non-food substances.