Eating ice cubes when pregnant, is it safe for the health of the baby in the womb?

During pregnancy, there are times when doctors give advice to avoid certain foods and drinks. Of course, this is adjusted to the health condition of pregnant women. What about some opinions that pregnant women should not drink ice because it can interfere with fetal development? Check out the explanation regarding can pregnant women drink ice below!

Health problems that make pregnant women like to drink ice

One of the most important things to pay attention to while pregnant is to keep your fluid intake so it doesn't affect your health and that of your baby.

Not only that, adequate daily fluids can also help prevent problems or complaints from pregnant women that often occur.

When you want to meet your fluid needs, it is not impossible for pregnant women to want to drink cold water more.

Quoted from Pregnancy, Birth, & Baby, this is a real phenomenon and affects many women during pregnancy.

It is possible that you will like to drink ice or eat ice cubes while pregnant, even though you never did before.

In one condition, this habit can also make you wonder why and can pregnant women drink ice?

Here are some reasons why pregnant women love cold drinks, including ice cubes, such as:

1. Pica

The urge to consume something that is actually lacking in nutrition, or even not nutritious at all is also known as pica.

However, pica is something different from the cravings during pregnancy.

Pica is an eating disorder that commonly occurs in children, but it is also common in pregnant women.

Nobody knows what causes pica like pregnant women prefer to drink ice.

Quoted from the American Pregnancy Association, it is possible that this condition is a hormonal effect and the body's efforts to get the vitamins and minerals that are lost from food.

However, you also need to be careful if the cause is pica. This is because in some people, pica is a sign of emotional problems from stress to obsessive-compulsive disorder.

2. Anemia

Then, the tendency of pregnant women to prefer cold drinks or eating ice cubes can also be caused by anemia.

There are some people who have anemia need ice intake because the body is deficient in iron.

When pregnant, you need a minimum of 27 mg of iron intake for the body and the baby in the womb.

Moreover, anemia in pregnant women is also a common condition when there is a lack of certain nutrients and vitamins.

When pregnant women are anemic, consuming ice is one way to increase strength because of the cold sensation.

Then, can pregnant women drink ice?

Actually, cold water or ice cubes are not dangerous substances. However, there is a myth, especially in Asia, that drinking ice while pregnant can shock the baby or make the body feel weak.

Until now, no research has been able to prove the negative effects of pregnant women who like to drink ice apart from tooth decay, gum pain, and sore throat.

So, if you are still confused about whether pregnant women can drink cold water or eat ice cubes? The answer is yes and no problem.

However, this also depends on the condition after you perform a pregnancy check. Of course the doctor will give you the best advice for pregnancy.

This also applies when the habit of pregnant women eating ice cubes is increasing. It is possible that the doctor will perform a number of tests to evaluate whether there is a health problem or not.

It should be understood that pregnant women are allowed to drink cold. However, if it is consumed in excess and you do not meet your daily nutritional intake, this is cause for concern.

The thing that is likely to happen is that the body continues to be malnourished, preventing the baby's growth and development. Moreover, there is no number of calories that enter when drinking ice.

So, it is important for you to continue to pay attention to the nutrition of pregnant women and daily food intake.

Also consider replacing ice cubes with cold fruit, such as grapes, strawberries, or berries that are much fresher, healthier, and have benefits.

When can pregnant women drink ice?

The question about whether pregnant women can drink ice or eat ice has been answered. Maybe some of you also have questions about when is it permissible to drink ice while pregnant?

Until now, there are no specific provisions that explain when pregnant women can consume cold water or ice cubes.

Therefore, you can do it at any time as long as you are not experiencing certain health conditions.

For example, you are experiencing toothache, sore throat, and so on.

Then, another thing that needs to be considered is to make sure the cold water or ice cubes to be consumed is guaranteed clean.