“Bring this - I don’t know what.” Changes in taste and smell during pregnancy. Strange desires of pregnant women: reasons

It is believed that during pregnancy, women begin to like certain foods, such as herring, pickles, oranges, etc.

Hormonal changes in the body of a pregnant woman

Many women in the first trimester have a very difficult time with all sorts of kitchen odors, especially if they are strong, for example, the smell from frying onions. Some people sniff soap to prevent toxicosis. Preferences in perfume scents may change dramatically.

What is causing all these changes and preferences? There is no single answer to this question. There are only a few points of view on this matter.

It is believed that progesterone is to blame for all these addictions. When pregnancy occurs, the formation of the so-called pregnancy dominant occurs in the cerebral cortex, promoting readiness to bear and give birth to a child, as well as ensuring psychological attitude women. A dominant pregnancy occurs in a woman after the egg has attached to the lining of the uterus. The dominant at the hormonal level is supported by increased production of progesterone.

According to the second version, the autonomic nervous system, which is part of the nervous system who is responsible for the work internal organs.

According to the third version, changes in taste preferences are associated with possible failures. But it may not always be that simple. There are cases when a pregnant woman’s body has hidden metabolic disturbances, and the “search engine” command may be erroneous, i.e. instead of eliminating the deficiency of something, it will contribute to its strengthening. For example, there is not enough iron in the body, and the expectant mother, against the background of a decrease in hemoglobin, begins to develop a specific metallic taste in her mouth, but at the same time she cannot look at meat, much less eat it. Although meat helps to some extent solve the problem of impaired iron metabolism. Then taking vitamin-mineral complexes can help here.

Thus, it is precisely because of hormonal changes in the body that certain taste preferences arise, the desire to eat one thing and aversion from just the sight of another product.

Don't ignore the cravings of pregnant women

We can conclude that no matter how strange the preferences of pregnant women may be, they should not be ignored, we must listen to them and, in some cases, think about the shortage of which particular product caused this preference, and how this whim can be eliminated. However, scientists have recognized that in some cases taste preferences cannot be explained. In any case, you shouldn’t eat something that is even considered healthy, but you don’t want it at all. You can replace this product with some other one, taking into account the substances it contains so that they enter the body. After all, we must not forget that the diet of a pregnant woman should be varied and include substances necessary for the growth of the baby.

If you have a strong desire to eat something harmful, and are not at all inclined to eat healthy diet, then you should consult a doctor to find out the cause and eliminate it. Of course, you can eat something that is not very healthy, but you just need to take reasonable doses into account so as not to harm your baby’s health. It is also worth remembering that your needs are reasonable, because if you want to eat chalk or sand, then, naturally, you don’t need to do this. It is recommended to be picky when you want to try something new that you have never eaten before pregnancy. This will help you avoid poisoning with an unfamiliar product and developing allergies. First of all, when looking at a new product, study its composition.

The influence of hormonal changes in the female body on taste and olfactory preferences during pregnancy - recommendations of an obstetrician-gynecologist.

If a woman complains that she used to love coffee, but now the smell alone makes her sick, she used to go out to smoke every half hour, and now runs past the smoking room, her first answer will be the question: “Darling, are you, by any chance, pregnant?” How do doctors explain this? sudden change perception of smell and taste?

exotic culinary habits expectant mothers and a sharp change in their tastes have been noticed for a long time. Who hasn’t heard jokes about a husband who runs at night, almost in his pajamas, to look for peaches or pickles for his pregnant wife... A passionate fan of pickles during this period can turn into a notorious sweet tooth, and a lover of chocolates, ice cream and jam suddenly wants to eat everything salty and spicy. According to a survey conducted by the food company Cow & Gate, it turned out that more than 60% of pregnant women experience an irresistible urge to mix completely incompatible foods. Among them are lemon with salt and pepper, ice cream and chips seasoned with mustard, and many other combinations.

“If we talk about smells, then throughout the first trimester I could not stand kitchen smells at all, especially sharp ones, such as the smell of fried onions. And in general, my sense of smell became so heightened!..”

“And during pregnancy, I became addicted to sniffing... soap! Ordinary baby soap, I just want to eat it! And to this day (to my daughter), when I open a new piece of soap, I will definitely lick it a couple of times...”

“The beginning of my pregnancy occurred at the end of spring - beginning of summer, when everyone opens the windows. My sense of smell became so acute that I could easily tell what dish was being prepared in each apartment - from the first floor to the twelfth.”

“I used to like perfumes with heavy floral scents. But in the first months of pregnancy I hated them and fell in love with light, fresh scents...”

Let's try to figure out why and where all these addictions come from. There is no unified and coherent theory in this regard. Here are some of the most popular points of view.

Under the sign of progesterone - the dominant of pregnancy

The theory that “blames” progesterone for all the quirks of pregnant women is the main one (all other theories say basically the same thing, but in different words).

At the beginning of pregnancy, the so-called dominant pregnancy, which promotes readiness to bear and give birth to a child, and also ensures the psychological mood of the woman.

The dominant of pregnancy is a focus of excitation in the brain that occurs in a pregnant woman after the egg attaches to the mucous membrane, due to the constant flow of signals from the uterus to the brain. At the hormonal level, the dominant is supported by increased production of progesterone.

The hormone progesterone is synthesized by the ovaries, placenta and adrenal cortex. From the moment the fertilized egg attaches to the wall of the uterus, increased production of progesterone begins, which helps maintain pregnancy (suppresses the activity of the smooth muscles of the uterus; acting on the central nervous system, supports the formed dominant of pregnancy; stimulates the preparation of the mammary glands and the growth of the uterus; suppresses the reaction of rejection of the fertilized egg). The content of progesterone in the mother’s blood grows unevenly, doubling, and then gradually increasing.

A decrease in progesterone levels indicates the presence of pregnancy pathology and requires replacement therapy; An increase in hormone levels indicates the presence of renal failure(violation of its excretion). The production of progesterone completely stops only with advanced changes in the placenta, for example with.

It is to the active increased level progesterone can be attributed to the most fundamental changes during pregnancy, and it is it that triggers a cascade of biochemical changes in the body. It also launches the so-called “search engine” to find in the mother’s body the necessary resources of the endocrine and autonomic nervous system 1 to ensure development normal pregnancy. In other words, this hormone determines what is normal and what is deficient, and builds a “program” in order to eliminate all deficiencies. As a result, the mother’s body is given a command to satisfy the deficit, causing the desired need. For example, with a lack of calcium, there is a desire to eat chalk, with a deficiency of ascorbic acid and green vegetables, with a lack of B vitamins, there is a desire to drink beer. At the same time, the search engine makes sure that the woman does not eat anything that will be harmful to her or the child. It is for this purpose that changes occur in the gastrointestinal tract that facilitate the process of rejection of unsuitable products. this moment food and prolong the process of processing suitable.

1 The autonomic nervous system is the part of the nervous system responsible for the functioning of internal organs

Possible failures

However, things are not always so simple. In cases where there are hidden metabolic disorders in a woman’s body, the “search engine” command can be paradoxical, i.e. one that, instead of eliminating the deficit, contributes to its strengthening. The result is a vicious circle. For example, the body does not have enough iron, and a woman, against the background of serious anemia (decreased amount of hemoglobin), develops a specific metallic taste in the mouth, but at the same time she develops an aversion to meat, although it is the consumption of meat that could at least partially help solve the problem of impaired iron exchange. In such cases, the only way out is vitamin-mineral complexes. Although sometimes there may be disgusting olfactory reactions to them. Why such a phenomenon occurs is still a mystery that science has yet to solve.

Before this, we talked about addictions that generally do not threaten the life of the mother, but in the early stages of pregnancy, some women have a desire to eat inedible foods: chalk, clay, sand, lime, earth. Some people are very attracted to the vapors of gasoline, acetone and other volatile substances. Such occurrences are fortunately rare. Should such cravings be satisfied? Of course, such desires should not be satisfied. And they are again called by the “command” of the same “search engine”. If such desires are persistent, it is important to visit a doctor, because... they are caused by neurochemical changes in the body. Probably couples are so harmful substances somehow affect the functioning of the brain: the body reacts in this way to an altered balance of excitation and inhibition processes. But under no circumstances should the expectant mother satisfy such desires, because harmful fumes can have a disfiguring effect on the developing fetus. In such cases, the doctor corrects the situation by prescribing drugs that improve metabolic processes in the brain (glycine, glutamic acid, vitamins).

So, it is the hormonal changes in the body that greatly influence taste preferences (desire for one thing and aversion to another). According to world-renowned M.D. Michele Glissman, “Those weird hormones that rush through the body in the first three months of pregnancy cause taste quirks.”

Nausea and vomiting - a defensive reaction

Samuel M. Flaxman and Paul Sherman stated that nausea, vomiting, and altered taste preferences during pregnancy serve a beneficial function: it natural mechanism protection of mother and fetus from painful condition caused by food, as well as protecting the fetus from harmful substances that can negatively affect the formation of its organs and tissues. Their findings help explain why many pregnant women initially develop an aversion to meat, some vegetables and caffeinated drinks, and a preference for mildly flavored foods. According to Sherman, food aversion also provides protection against toxins produced by microorganisms and other teratogens (defect-causing agents). fetal development) substances.

At the same time, in the first three months of pregnancy, embryonic cells differentiate and begin to form structures. These developing structures and organ systems—the arms, legs, eyes, and central nervous system—may be adversely affected by teratogens found in some plants during the critical stage of new life formation; their components can have negative action and during pregnancy: for example, parsley can cause uterine contractions and provoke. It is no coincidence that a pregnant woman’s body often rejects spices.

The vagaries of a pregnant woman's intuition

It is known that the tastes and desires of a pregnant woman change. Nature has provided expectant mother the so-called “food intuition of a pregnant woman.” Modern dietetics, medicine and biology do not have complete information about absolutely proper nutrition pregnant woman. Only the basic principle is known: food should be varied, as healthy and containing minimal amount processed and artificial foods. In the first trimester pregnancy is underway active restructuring of the body and its adaptation to a new state. Now the child expresses his needs through his mother, demanding microelements, vitamins and nutrients that are beneficial for him. Both mother and her family will have to take this into account when providing the products they crave. However, here, more than anywhere else, a reasonable approach is appropriate. Listening to your desires is important, but satisfy them in reasonable quantities.

So, whatever is hidden behind such strange addictions pregnant women, we need to listen to them and sometimes really think about what kind of deficit our “whims” are trying to eliminate. Scientists admit that some cases of taste preferences cannot be explained. And in any case, don’t force yourself to eat what is considered “good” for you if you don’t want to.

What to do if you really want something harmful and are not at all drawn to something useful?

1. When taste and olfactory preferences frighten, drive you crazy or do not allow you to live a normal life everyday life, consult a doctor.
2. If you really want something, then Bon appetit! But remember about reasonable doses and reasonable needs. For example, if you want to eat sand, then, of course, you shouldn’t do this.
3. Be selective when you want to try new things. Then you are unlikely to get poisoned by anything or develop an allergy. First, try to find out the composition of such an attractive-smelling product.
4. It is important to always remember that quirks or whims are your own business, they should not become a reason for resentment, tears or even depression. It’s not your loved ones’ fault that they didn’t guess what you wanted for lunch today: try to talk about your passions, discuss them - and there will be more understanding.
5. A pregnant woman can sometimes be difficult to please, so try to treat yourself with humor: this will help the most!

Elena Pechnikova
Obstetrician-genecologist, Moscow

Discussion

And we are 13-14 weeks. I'm sick of everything. I have lost my appetite and feel bitterness in my mouth. Even the pills stopped helping ((we hope it will be better by the second trimester

In the first months I had nausea, but without vomiting, I had a craving for meat, I took a half-kilogram piece, cooked it (that’s what I wanted boiled!) and it was enough for 1-2 meals. And from the 6th month I became indifferent to meat in general, but now I crave sweets, the confectionery departments are just torture, I just relaxed - in 4 weeks I gained 3.5 kg on chocolate marshmallows and bread with jam, I barely stopped, now I’m trying Instead of pastry, I have bananas and persimmons, I can also eat tons of them, although I’m afraid of a lot of persimmons, they’re not very good for the intestines. And also sauerkraut and green tomatoes...a dream (but my kidneys are more valuable to me!)

I’m pregnant for the first time... I started reading on websites about needs during pregnancy - who eats silk!!!, who chews chalk! It’s funny as much as a passion! For 7 weeks I’ve been craving red fish (and only red) and I eat it in a day or a jar of pickles or tomatoes while drinking all the brine! I’m shocked! And my husband is even more shocked!

I’m in my 9th week =) and now I have almost no appetite ((but you can’t go hungry either... I think for a very long time about what I can eat, but there aren’t many options at all.
I'm still struggling with this. And I feel sick often... this was my first pregnancy :) but very welcome! ;)

And from the very beginning of pregnancy I wanted all sorts of different things, but most of all sweets. Now it’s five months already, but I still have a strong craving for sweets, I really can’t, it could be anything, even honey with tea, or just tea with sugar. I dream that I eat sweets. Once about three months I wanted pickles so much that I remember I ran to the store, and then ate a whole one and a half liter jar in 10 minutes.

I’m 6 weeks old and have taxicosis, but not severe. It happens that you suddenly want melon, watermelon or sauerkraut :-) with mashed potatoes (your mouth is watering), and sometimes even the thought of food makes you gag! I talked to the doctor, he advised me to eat small meals, carry chocolate (glucose) and something sour in my purse. To be honest, it doesn't help much. but the urgent fulfillment of my culinary desires saves not only me, but also my family from attacks of weakness, nausea, whims, etc. :-))))

And in the first trimester I didn’t want anything, although I didn’t have any severe nausea, I ate only dry bread and tea.
In the second trimester (it was hot) I wanted dried syba. And the caviar from this roach was the most delicious candy!
In the 3rd trimester I really wanted tangerines and persimmons. Moreover, only the crust was eaten from the tangerines, the zest was given to my husband))) Every evening for the last 3 months I ate a kilogram of both, my husband came home from work and bought them.

and I feel nauseous, but not vomiting. I don’t have any special cravings yet - I’m 5 weeks old. I don’t have much of an appetite either. During my first pregnancy I didn’t want anything special either, but strong odors annoying

From 7 to 16 weeks I had terrible toxicosis; only canned cucumbers or tomatoes saved me. Now for 20 weeks I really want fresh cucumbers and tomatoes. I’m indifferent to meat and fish, too, although they say you need to eat it.

vrodebi vsyo normalno edinstvennaya problema xochu obsheniya mne podobnim i ne tolko tak ka ya ne na rodine ne znayu kak nayti obshenie da i net v dannoe vremya doma net prixoditsya spuskatsya v net klub.a chto kassaetsya edi to vsegda xochu togo chto umenya net xotya staray us derzhat v xolodilnike raznoobraznie veshi

I have an aversion to fried fish. I eat salty food with pleasure. I used to love sweets, but now I don’t want to. The custard tastes like milk powder.

We are 16 weeks. For the first 2 months I felt sick and ate almost nothing, I lost weight. They admitted me to the hospital, drank Essentiale and vitamins, and it became easier. I really wanted meat, fish and cucumbers.

I’m in the eighth week, I eat everything in a row, the taste has hardly changed - I just really want green vinegar barrel tomatoes and sushi

I’m now 12 weeks pregnant. The toxicosis was terrible. I didn’t eat or drink anything. I was admitted to the hospital. Now I eat little by little. I have an aversion to meat. I stopped wearing makeup because everything smells, I don’t drink coffee, although I loved it.

Comment on the article “Bring this - I don’t know what... change in taste during pregnancy”

Conference "Pregnancy and childbirth" "Pregnancy and childbirth". Section: -- gatherings (If the topic was recently raised, close the topic :) Here in last pregnancy I ate only crap - pizza, store-bought dumplings, sandwiches). Taste preferences.

Discussion

I always want something sweet :)))) I wish I had a chocolate :))) I’m having a blast, otherwise I’ll start feeding her - I won’t have time for chocolate :)))

Until I was 12 weeks old, I ate tons of pickled cucumbers (classic), now I’m devouring kilos of sprat, although in 15 years of marriage I’ve never even bought it. The whole family got hooked on sprat with me; for about 3 weeks now the children have been demanding only it with potatoes. And Lafa boiled some potatoes for me - dinner is ready!

Discussion

Amazing.
So if he’s spitting on his tit right now, then it’s time for me to offer him beer and fish? Based on your wishes during pregnancy...

Our son’s taste preferences were shaped by us, the parents:)
As a child it was " Blank sheet", because he ate a very limited range of foods and it was quite difficult to feed him.
And now part taste preferences mine (eats fish, liver and doesn’t eat onions), some of my husband’s (eats pasta with sugar), some of ours, which we hardly eat. But something from that list that coincides with my husband (and we don’t have many coincidences at all) doesn’t eat. He doesn’t eat raw smoked sausage or lard, but we love it :)

Taste preferences - I can’t!! Consumer taste preferences vary depending on the specific region. Thus, in Asia they prefer drinks with the taste of nuts and beans: they are in demand here. We advise you to read: after childbirth, the belly is like that of a pregnant woman...

Conversation in bed:
- Honey, I want a peach.
- Honey, it’s 12 o’clock at night...
- So what, I still want a peach!
- Think for yourself, where will I find a peach... in winter?!
- I REALLY WANT A PEACH!!! - the man obediently gets up, gets dressed and in the winter, at 12 o’clock at night, goes to look for a peach for the woman.
What can you think about this couple? You can condemn - she’s a bitch, he’s henpecked, you can admire - high relations! But in fact, everything is simple - she is pregnant.

The story of the dietary vagaries of pregnant women is as old as the world. In Rus', all the wishes of a pregnant woman were fulfilled unquestioningly - if she wanted to eat something special, they bought it right away. In some localities, denying a “bellied woman” any whim, especially if it concerned something edible, was considered a sin, because “the soul of a baby requires it.” According to popular beliefs, if a pregnant woman asked for something and was refused, this could bring the wrath of her ancestors upon the offender’s house. And then soon a misfortune could happen in his house: mice or rats would gnaw all his clothes, moths would eat all his woolen items...

Modern research suggests that pregnancy is a time when most women experience new food likes and dislikes. According to one study, out of 460 women who had recently given birth to babies, more than 90% reported developing an addiction to at least one food product. last trimester pregnancy, and more than 50% said they had an aversion to at least one type of food.

In many cultures, it is customary to judge by the food preferences of the expectant mother whether she is expecting a girl or a boy. As a rule, a woman's craving for sweets was equated with a female baby, and for spicy, salty, and sour foods - with a male child. The French believe that everything is exactly the opposite.

This is surprising, but if you ask women about what they liked or didn’t like to eat during pregnancy, the list of products will be very extensive and varied. Some people cannot live without sweets, cakes and ice cream, while others are disgusted by even looking at sweets. Addictions also manifest themselves in the desire to eat, for example, exclusively zucchini and cheese, or eat one halva all day long. After giving birth, many women remember that at some stage of waiting for the baby, they begin to unbearably crave meat. However, stories that pregnant women are special creatures in terms of food, and they suddenly want salty, then sweet, and after 5 minutes - spicy - and in the end they will not eat either one or the other - nothing more than a myth. If a woman eats a varied diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and contains a balanced amount of fats, proteins and carbohydrates, then most likely there will not be any strong manifestations of gastronomic desires. And yet... What causes new nutritional needs? Of course, with the appearance of a new life in the womb - a tiny person requires for the construction of his body necessary materials. Apparently, the “whims” concern mainly those products that contain substances that the body lacks. These are biochemical signals that the child sends to the mother, “asking” her for what he lacks. The mother's preferences are usually passed on to the child.

But there are also special cases. What to do if you want, for example, to eat one smoked sausage or chocolate? From the point of view of psychologists, this can be explained this way - the forbidden fruit is sweet (after all, smoked meats and chocolate during pregnancy are not included in the list of healthy foods). Nutritionists have a special term - discharge - it contains an explanation of the condition of a person who has changed his diet, but wants to eat something that is not included in it. At the same time, eating these products (smoked sausage, baked goods, sweets) does not bring any pleasure; on the contrary, a feeling of disgust arises. Why is this happening? It is believed that with a change in diet, our body begins to release toxins, discharging the chemical “memory” of the foods we have abandoned. The body may interpret this chemical "memory" as a desire when in fact it is not.

What if a woman eats an incredible amount of all sorts of goodies and at the same time does not feel any disgust, but is at the height of bliss? Perhaps another mechanism is at work here. Eating products made from premium flour and chocolate leads to increased production of the pleasure hormone - endorphin. Agree that it can be very difficult to deny yourself pleasure. In this case, you can try to get it in other ways. The fact is that daily fulfillment of a certain physical activity or creative activities also contribute to the production of endorphins. Expectant mothers who do gymnastics for pregnant women note that their well-being improves significantly. The same can be said about women who find time during the day to draw, sew or knit something new. Some people are surprised to discover in themselves the desire to take up floriculture, cross-stitch, or master the art of cooking. If such desires manifest themselves, then we can only be happy for you and your baby. After all, together with you future little man will develop creatively, enjoy creating something new and beautiful. Well, if you feel a vague urge to do something, but you don’t know what exactly, try buying paints (pencils, felt-tip pens) and draw. Many women refuse to draw because they allegedly simply do not know how to do it. What kind of creativity is this, reminiscent of drawings from kindergarten or drawing lessons at school? Believe me, it's not that important. Let the artistic value of your work be low for society, but you will be able to feel a true creator within yourself and convey this feeling to your baby. After all, he or she experiences everything that you feel (remember the pleasure hormone?). Why deprive yourself of pleasant emotions? Many expectant mothers, once they try, can’t stop, and they definitely set aside some time for drawing on their daily to-do list. And some even open exhibitions of their works! Of course, we are not talking about the fact that you will become a famous artist, but if you collect your drawings, say, in a certain folder, then after the baby is born and grows up, you will be able to show them to him, and, probably , it will be difficult for you to find a more grateful viewer. He will once again be able to feel loved and desired, because his mother was waiting for him so much!

Some diseases cause complete loss of taste, others only partial. With some diseases you will not be able to taste certain types of food, while with others you will be haunted by the same taste. It could be tolerable if you chose this ghostly taste at your own discretion. Most often, this phantom taste is not the taste of chocolate-hazelnut cream, no, it is sour, bitter, metallic or some kind of disgusting taste. These and other taste disturbances spoil your appetite and prevent you from communicating normally with people. Thus, disturbances of the sense of taste are never indifferent to the patient.

Fortunately, in most cases, the cause of loss of the ability to sense taste can be caused by general illness and disorders health. So, runny nose when nose is running almost rivers of mucus, often robbing you of taste for a while. “Nearly 25% of patients with taste disorders have post-influenza hypogeusia (decreased ability to taste) and dysgeusia (distortion of this ability),” explains Dr. Robert Henkin, director of the Center for Molecular Nutrition and Sensory Disorders at Georgetown University in Washington.

Why is the ability to perceive taste impaired during the flu? The same viruses that cause symptoms nasal congestion, fatigue and muscle pain, which are so characteristic of the flu, also affect the taste buds. The same viruses can infect the nerve endings of taste buds, causing loss of taste. Hay fever and accompanying allergies can also impair the ability to taste; In addition, nasal congestion caused by this condition prevents the full perception of odors, thereby depriving food of its aroma.

The “stealers” of the sense of taste are not always “aliens” in your oral cavity. In normal times this faithful friends his. For example, the salivary glands play important role in the process of taste perception. Any delay in salivary flow may distort the sense of taste.

There are a whole bunch of other "cheaters" who are guilty of impaired taste perception. No, they do not steal the ability to sense taste, but they change it beyond recognition and by no means better side. Gum diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis and dental caries can leave a very bad taste in your mouth. Has the same effect necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis.

Dentures can irritate your mouth even more. New dentures or dentures that fit tightly in the mouth interfere with the perception of taste. The reason is that the denture covers many taste buds located on the hard palate. This forces the patient to add more spices to food in order to compensate for the loss of the sense of taste.

You won't taste what's in your mouth until your brain tells you what you're tasting. Therefore, serious, although rare, neurological disorders can cause weakening, complete disappearance or distortion of the sense of taste. These disorders include brain tumors, cranial nerve diseases, cerebral circulation and head injuries.

Many other reasons can lead to the same result - loss of taste. “Anything can affect the taste - from surgery on the ear to a deficiency of vitamins and salts,” says Dr. Henkin. Hormonal abnormalities that are characteristic during pregnancy and during the menstrual period, can cause peculiar changes in the sense of taste. An unpleasant taste appears in the mouth when taking certain medications and after alcoholic excess.

Finally, poor nutrition can manifest itself as taste disturbances. Vitamin B12 or vitamin A deficiency sometimes causes partial or complete loss of taste. The sense of taste is almost always affected by zinc deficiency. “It is clear that zinc deficiency impairs taste perception,” is the conclusion of one study on this topic.

What to do.“Most often, it turns out that loss of the sense of taste is a general medical problem, and not a narrow dental one,” says Dr. Robert Mullin. “This condition should be assessed by a physician.” Any change in the ability to perceive taste that occurs suddenly, as well as a quickly occurring perversion of taste, is a reason for a comprehensive examination of the patient in order to find out the cause.

Associated symptoms. If you have experienced a loss of taste sensitivity, you feel pain and see redness in the area of ​​your wisdom teeth - this means that there is an infectious inflammation at the site where these teeth erupt.

You should understand that the same symptoms can be caused by other diseases. If you have signs of inflammation (pulpitis) of a wisdom tooth and, in addition, in the same place you feel a small soft swelling on the gum, and you have elevated temperature and the corresponding side of the face and neck is somewhat swollen, then the combination of these signs indicates the presence of an abscess on the root of the wisdom tooth.

In both cases, you need to urgently see a dentist.

How does the sense of smell change during pregnancy?

Pregnancy dominant and its consequences

From the very first days of pregnancy, a focus of excitation is formed in the woman’s cerebral cortex, the main purpose of which is to ensure physical and psychological readiness body for gestation and childbirth. This dominant pregnancy is formed and maintained due to the increased production of progesterone. It is this hormone that is responsible for all the biochemical changes that occur in the body of a pregnant woman. It also triggers the mechanism for providing the mother’s body with the resources necessary for normal height and fetal development.

The vagaries of smell

During pregnancy unpleasant odors, for example, the smell of gasoline, acetone, fish, can become attractive and desirable. Sometimes expectant mothers even want to smell substances that smell very strong or bad. But before indulging your feelings, you should definitely think about whether your desire will harm your unborn child. Of course, there is no harm in sniffing laundry soap or fresh shavings several times a day, but inhaling gasoline or acetone vapors can negatively affect the health of the mother and her baby.

Medical card

A bad doctor treats a disease, a good doctor treats the cause of the disease.

Pregnancy - what do changes in taste tell you about?

Many women pay attention to changes in taste preferences that arise almost from the first days of pregnancy. Why does this happen and is it worth listening and indulging your new desires? The unexpected “culinary whims” of pregnant women are widely known and are reflected in fiction and cinema. Any pregnant woman can name these culinary signs of pregnancy. For example, an expectant mother sometimes begins to crave salty foods. Maybe, on the contrary, a woman craves sweets during pregnancy. It happens that an expectant mother, who was absolutely indifferent to fish dishes before pregnancy, suddenly hides her taste for seafood and fish in the first weeks of pregnancy. Some pregnant women start eating a certain type of meat, some lean on fruits, some stock up on nuts - the desires of pregnant women may be different, but almost all expectant mothers develop a specific diet. There is a simple explanation for this “pregnancy sign”.

Increased interest in certain products at the beginning of a woman’s pregnancy is associated with a deficiency of certain substances in the woman’s body. We are talking about vitamins, minerals, microelements, fats and carbohydrates, proteins required for a successful pregnancy and full development fetus Maybe our daily diet lacks any useful substances due to the refusal of any foods - for example, with vegetarianism (refusal to eat animal products), long-term dieting with the exclusion of one of the three main components of food (proteins) , fats or carbohydrates), rare consumption of milk or fish, if a woman does not really like these products, etc. In normal, “non-pregnant” times, a lack of any substance may go unnoticed - for the time being healthy body can compensate for the lack of some nutrients with others coming from food. However, when pregnancy occurs, energy consumption immediately increases, usual compensatory measures become insufficient, and the pregnant body immediately “declares” its needs. After all, it is in the first weeks of pregnancy that organs are formed, fetal cells differentiate, and life support systems are formed. These processes require huge amounts of energy and nutrients. Already by the 10th day of life, the embryo is surrounded by three different membranes that provide it with protection and nutrition, and on the 18th day from the moment of fertilization (corresponding to 2-3 days of missed menstruation), the baby’s tiny heart is already formed and beating! In the fetus during the first month embryonic development the rudiments of all systems and organs, the primary skeleton, primitive digestive tract, blood vessels and even nervous tissue! During this period, the body of the expectant mother literally works in the “everything is for the front, everything is for victory” mode, and the lack of any useful substance it feels very sharp. Depending on what specific substance is needed for normal course pregnancy and the development of the embryo are currently lacking in the mother’s body, and form her taste preferences.

With a lack of vitamin D and phosphorus necessary for development neural tube fetus, the expectant mother wants fish, seaweed and seafood.

The love for chocolate, sweet pastries, honey, ice cream and cakes is explained by the body's energy needs for glucose.

If during pregnancy a woman suddenly “loves” milk, cottage cheese, cheeses or yoghurts, it means that at this stage she needs calcium, which is found in abundance in dairy products. This substance is necessary for the formation of “milk” and permanent teeth, the formation of bones, ligaments, cartilage and muscle tissue of the fetus, its nails and hair, as well as for harmonious development central nervous system. In the case when the menu of the expectant mother begins to dominate meat dishes various cooking options - the body compensates for the lack of easily digestible protein. The same can be said about the passion for nuts.

Fruits and vegetables are rich in various vitamins. Sometimes it is enough for a doctor to ask a pregnant woman about her taste preferences in order to understand what vitamins she needs.

Oranges and other citrus fruits are a natural storehouse of vitamin C, a substance necessary for normal tone and permeability of blood vessels.

If your favorite fruits are now apples, you want berries - strawberries and strawberries, and among vegetables preference is given to carrots, beets and cabbage, it means that the expectant mother’s body needs iron, which is “responsible” for hematopoiesis and oxygen supply to the fetus

A passion for bananas, peaches, apricots, dried apricots and potatoes clearly indicates the need for potassium. The function of the skeletal and smooth muscles of the fetus, including the contractility of the heart, depends on this substance.

And if the expectant mother gives a clear preference to beans, peas and other legumes, then zinc, which is involved in the construction of the bone skeleton, is necessary for the development of the baby.

Many pregnant women, who calmly walked past the “green” shelves of the supermarket before conception, begin to eat in the first half of their term. a large number of greens - spinach, celery, salads of all varieties, parsley. This change in taste preferences is explained by the body's need for folic acid. This B vitamin ensures the necessary speed of growth and development of the fetus, controls the formation of cardio-vascular system and nerve fibers of the central nervous system.

Of course, this does not mean at all that the expectant mother can be guided only by her own desires when creating a menu: unfortunately, not all taste whims are beneficial for the body. For example, with the onset of pregnancy, many expectant mothers often “crave salty foods,” and pickles, marinades and smoked meats appear in their diet every day. Such indulgence in taste preferences can do a disservice to a pregnant woman: salt binds liquid and leads to the formation of edema, and marinades and smoked foods create unnecessary stress on the body. digestive system, causing gastritis, pain in the pancreas and gallbladder. Some women “in an interesting situation” always want oranges or strawberries, and these fruits, although healthy in themselves, begin to be absorbed in excessive quantities, which, unfortunately, can provoke allergies. Finally, many modern foods contain flavor enhancers that are addictive and increase appetite, but they can also be harmful to health. Unfortunately, in most cases, this taste addiction does not disappear with the onset of pregnancy, and a lady “in an interesting position” may want chips, cola or shawarma just as in normal times. Of course, when it comes to healthy products, you can and should listen to the requirements of your body. However, even in this case, it is worth consulting with your doctor about creating an optimally balanced diet.

Sometimes in the first weeks of pregnancy, the expectant mother develops completely unusual taste preferences. Doctors call such phenomena a perversion of taste. For example, young healthy woman suddenly you have an uncontrollable urge to chew chalk or try an iron nail. Agree, this is a very extravagant desire that can surprise not only those around you, but also the woman in labor herself!

But you should definitely tell the doctor monitoring the development of pregnancy about unexpected changes in taste: it is possible that we are talking not just about the body’s need for one or another microelement, but about severe vitamin deficiency.

This guess can be confirmed using a biochemical blood test, which will make it possible to estimate the amount of all the basic microelements necessary for the full metabolism and development of the baby.

There is another explanation for the unusual reaction from the taste buds of the expectant mother. Such addictions can be explained by the phenomena of early toxicosis. This condition for the body is intoxication (poisoning), resulting from defensive reaction immunity of the expectant mother. Since the genotype of the embryo is inherited from the father, the pregnant woman’s immune system mistakes the embryo for a “foreign substance” and begins to secrete antibodies - protective cells. This attack is for the little ones immune system does not pose a danger: it is reliably protected from its “encroachments” placental barrier. However, antibodies produced against fetal cells accumulate in the bloodstream and negatively affect the functioning of the central nervous system of the expectant mother. As a result, the sensitivity of her taste buds may temporarily change, which will lead to a sharp distortion of taste.

These unexpected changes in taste preferences certainly reduce the overall comfort level of the expectant mother. However, they do not occur in everyone, and they proceed in quite different ways. Sometimes taste distortions occur only in the first weeks and are quickly eliminated, sometimes a little later, for some the symptoms are stronger, for others they are slightly expressed. It happens that extravagant taste preferences constantly bother the expectant mother, and sometimes such manifestations arise only periodically. For the vast majority of pregnant women, all such problems disappear during the first 2-3 months of pregnancy, that is, after the 12th week.

Changes and even perversions of taste are not a sign of disease and do not require treatment. We can say that this is a variant of the norm, a kind of “ by-effect» interesting position. After these symptoms disappear, the expectant mother feels well again. Such phenomena do not affect the course of pregnancy and fetal development in any way.

If you add it to your bookmarks, you won’t have to remember where you read it!

How does pregnancy affect your sense of smell and taste?

Pregnancy causes many changes in the body. Typically, pregnant women notice changes in their sense of smell and taste. In this article, I will discuss how and why pregnancy affects your sense of smell and taste.

Changes in taste and smell are characteristic signs of pregnancy and are especially common in the early stages. Almost all pregnant women go through this and, to one degree or another, become more sensitive to strong odors, they also feel a bitter taste.

The manifestations of this effect are individual for each woman. Some develop oversensitivity to the aroma of perfume, the smell of shaving lotion or body deodorant; others may begin to “throw up” from the smell of some food products.

Some women complain of a bitter taste in the mouth after eating or drinking anything. Others may feel a peculiar taste in their mouth all the time, even when they do not eat anything. Increased sensitivity taste and smell can cause irritation and anxiety for expectant mothers, and, as a rule, it is the main “provoker of nausea.” There are cases when the irritation is so strong that pregnant women refuse any food.

What causes changes in smell and taste during pregnancy?

The culprit of this phenomenon is the hormones estrogen progesterone, the level of which increases during pregnancy. These hormonal changes affect the functioning of the senses, including taste and smell.

Some women worry whether these changes will have an impact negative influence on the development of the child in the womb. Calm down, they won’t. This condition is absolutely harmless. In fact, research has shown that this is a completely natural reaction of the body, the purpose of which is to protect the mother from consuming or inhaling substances that could harm the child. Thus, we can say that changes in the perception of taste are a consequence of the internal mechanism of protecting the fetus from the effects of undesirable substances.

How to cope with changes in taste and smell?

The best way to deal with this problem is to avoid the irritants themselves. Here are some helpful tips to help you:

• Always ventilate the room you are in well. Keep windows open as much as possible. This way, you can ensure that the indoor air is quickly freed from unwanted odors and odors. If irritants enter the room from the street, on the contrary, close the room, but try to walk more in the fresh air away from the source of the odors that irritate you.
• Wear clean, laundered clothing because fabric tends to be very absorbent and retains odors that can make your negative feelings worse.
• Do not use any skin care fragrances, lotions, etc. Try to avoid scented personal care products.
• Check if the smell of mint, ginger or lemon will have a calming effect on you and help get rid of nausea. If this is indeed the case, surround yourself with these smells.
• Make changes to your diet and include only those foods that do not cause feelings of rejection.
• If you cannot stand the smell during the preparation of some specific dishes, but you can eat them, then do not try to cook them yourself. Ask your loved ones to help you.
• To combat the unwanted taste in your mouth, you can eat spicy foods if you like spicy foods. Spicy foods numb your taste buds, and you may notice that the bitterness in your mouth decreases or disappears completely after eating spicy foods.
• If you feel a constant bitterness in your mouth, you can, along with brushing your teeth, brush your tongue and rinse your mouth with salt water. This usually helps neutralize the bitter sensation on the tongue.

Changes in the sense of taste and smell are a problem, but not that bad. It will not accompany you throughout your pregnancy, but only in the first months while you experience morning sickness and nausea.

Nmedicine.net

If your friend or wife I drank before coffee in the morning, but now she doesn’t want to see him, or if she used to run out every half hour to smoke, but now the mere mention of a cigarette makes her sick, the first thing that might come to your mind is whether she’s pregnant! Yes, indeed, it is during pregnancy that sharp changes in the perception of smells and taste sensations. Why does this happen, how does medical science explain this?

Sooner or later, every pregnant woman comes to gastronomic delights and experiments. Either a pregnant woman suddenly starts asking for pickles, which gave her heartburn, or she eats tons of ordinary school crayons. Such quirks are quite easily explained. After all, with the onset of pregnancy, the female body undergoes restructuring, both external and internal. And the reason for this is the increased production of hormones. In particular, changes in taste preferences are associated with the hormone progesterone.

During pregnancy, progesterone begins to be produced by the ovaries and placenta. The maximum activity of progesterone production is achieved by the third trimester, and a few days before birth it drops sharply. At the moment of active synthesis of the hormone progesterone, a pregnant woman’s taste sensations change dramatically.

The hormone progesterone is also called a “smart” hormone: with its help, the body determines those substances that the fetus and the mother herself lack during this period. This is why a woman feels drawn to one product and disgusted by another. And that is why a woman eats chalk - it means she has a calcium deficiency, or sour cucumbers - a vitamin C deficiency.

It happens that a pregnant woman begins to crave not just “salty foods,” but also cravings for lime, acetone, paint, and other inedible things. In these cases, it is better to consult a doctor, who should tell you what is missing and what edibles can replace inedible desires.

The self-defense mechanism also works in full force in a pregnant woman - she may experience an aversion to things that are too spicy, bitter, or spicy. Even simple parsley can turn nasty. This means that the body feels a threat to the pregnancy.

During the gradual development of the fetus, a woman’s preferences change. This is due to the requirements of the body - it needs more and more new building materials. And this is normal and correct. Modern dietetics insists that a pregnant woman eats in accordance with generally accepted ideas about rational nutrition, but how justified this is in relation to the state of pregnancy is an open question, and no one has yet given an unambiguous answer.

The main principle in nutrition during pregnancy is variety, a minimum of artificially processed foods and maximum benefits of everything that a pregnant woman consumes. Nature has provided the pregnant woman with her special intuition. Through the mother, the unborn child expresses his needs for the necessary microelements, vitamins, nutrients Oh. And this cannot be ignored. But there must be a reasonable approach here: you need to listen to your strange desires, but only in acceptable quantities.

Taste disturbance during pregnancy

Taste disturbance is a condition in which the patient is unable to ascertain the taste of any product. This condition can be short-term, which can be caused by too hot or cold food, and this disorder can also be a warning serious illness. There are three types of disorders, which are divided into complete loss of taste (ageusia), partial loss of taste (hypogeusia), and distortion of taste sensitivities (dysgeusia). This violation may be caused common cold. When a patient loses taste, they usually also experience a loss of smell, which can affect the quality of social life.

Diseases by symptoms

Any symptom is a signal from the body that any organ, department or entire system is damaged. To find out why a taste disorder occurs in an expectant mother, it is necessary to rule out certain diseases. Make sure that the pregnant woman undergoes timely diagnosis, check with doctors about the cause of the taste disorder and how to quickly and effectively improve the condition of the expectant mother.

The list of diseases in which expectant mothers experience taste disturbances:

One of the reasons for taste disturbance in a pregnant woman may be endocrine changes in the body. Also, the causes of these disorders may be a viral disease, as well as a disease manifested by a fungal infection of the oral cavity. Even at normal temperatures, a decrease in taste and olfactory sensitivity is possible.

Treatment and specialists

Treatment of taste disturbance in a pregnant woman should only be carried out by a qualified specialist. Only a doctor can tell you how to treat a taste disorder in an expectant mother, how to get rid of the complications of a taste disorder and prevent its occurrence in a pregnant woman in the future. The following doctors can answer the question of what to do if the expectant mother has a taste disorder:

When confirming the diagnosis in a pregnant woman drug treatment complicated, therefore in this case Only as prescribed by a doctor, drugs and precise methods are selected to determine and restore taste sensitivity.

Arm yourself with knowledge and read a useful informative article about the disease taste disturbance during pregnancy. After all, being parents means studying everything that will help maintain the degree of health in the family at around “36.6”.

Find out what can cause taste disturbance during pregnancy and how to recognize it in a timely manner. Find information about the signs that can help you identify illness. And what tests will help identify the disease and make a correct diagnosis.

In the article you will read everything about methods of treating such a disease as taste disturbance during pregnancy. Find out what effective first aid should be. How to treat: choose medications or traditional methods?

You will also learn how untimely treatment of a taste disorder during pregnancy can be dangerous, and why it is so important to avoid the consequences. All about how to prevent taste disturbances during pregnancy and prevent complications. Be healthy!

“Bring this - I don’t know what.” Changes in taste and smell during pregnancy

If a woman complains that she used to love coffee, but now the smell alone makes her sick, she used to go out to smoke every half hour, and now runs past the smoking room, her first answer will be the question: “Dear, are you, by any chance, pregnant?” How do doctors explain such a sharp change in the perception of smell and taste?

Elena Pechnikova

Obstetrician-gynecologist, Moscow

The exotic culinary preferences of expectant mothers and the sharp change in their tastes have been noticed for a long time. Who hasn’t heard jokes about a husband who runs at night, almost in his pajamas, to look for peaches or pickles for his pregnant wife? During this period, a passionate fan of pickled cucumbers can turn into a notorious sweet tooth, and a lover of chocolates, ice cream and jam suddenly wants to eat everything salty and spicy. According to a survey conducted by the food company Cow & Gate, it turned out that more than 60% of pregnant women experience an irresistible urge to mix completely incompatible foods. Among them are lemon with salt and pepper, ice cream and chips seasoned with mustard, and many other combinations.

“If you’re talking about smells, then throughout the first trimester I couldn’t stand kitchen smells at all, especially sharp ones, such as the smell of fried onions. And in general, my sense of smell has become so heightened. »

“And during pregnancy I became addicted to sniffing. soap! An ordinary baby product, I just want to eat it! And to this day (my daughter is 10 months old), when I open a new bar of soap, I make sure to lick it a couple of times. »

“The beginning of my pregnancy occurred at the end of spring - beginning of summer, when everyone opens the windows. My sense of smell became so acute that I could easily tell what dish was being prepared in each apartment - from the first floor to the twelfth.”

“I used to like perfumes with heavy floral scents. And in the first months of pregnancy, I hated them and fell in love with light, fresh scents. »

Let's try to figure out why and where all these addictions come from. There is no unified and coherent theory in this regard. Here are some of the most popular points of view.

The theory that “blames” progesterone for all the quirks of pregnant women is the main one (all other theories say basically the same thing, but in different words).

At the beginning of pregnancy, the so-called pregnancy dominant is formed in the cerebral cortex, which contributes to the readiness to bear and give birth to a child, and also ensures the woman’s psychological mood.

The dominant of pregnancy is a focus of excitation in the brain that occurs in a pregnant woman after the attachment of the egg to the mucous membrane of the uterus, due to the constant flow of signals from the uterus to the brain. At the hormonal level, the dominant is supported by increased production of progesterone.

The hormone progesterone is synthesized by the ovaries, placenta and adrenal cortex. From the moment the fertilized egg attaches to the wall of the uterus, increased production of progesterone begins, which helps maintain pregnancy (suppresses the activity of the smooth muscles of the uterus, affecting the central nervous system, supports the formed dominant of pregnancy; stimulates the preparation of the mammary glands and the growth of the uterus, suppresses the reaction of rejection of the fertilized egg). The content of progesterone in the mother’s blood grows unevenly, doubling by 7–8 weeks, and then gradually increasing until 37–38 weeks.

A decrease in progesterone levels indicates the presence of pregnancy pathology and requires replacement therapy. An increase in the level of the hormone indicates the presence of renal failure (impairment of its behavior). The production of progesterone completely stops only with far-reaching changes in the placenta, for example, with a missed pregnancy.

It is the active elevated level of progesterone that can be attributed to the most fundamental changes during pregnancy, and it is he who triggers the cascade of biochemical changes in the body. It also launches the so-called “search engine” to find in the mother’s body the necessary resources of the endocrine and autonomic nervous system to ensure the development of a normal pregnancy. In other words, this hormone determines what is normal and what is deficient, and builds a “program” in order to eliminate all deficiencies. As a result, the mother’s body is given a command to satisfy the deficit, causing the desired need. For example, with a lack of calcium there is a desire to eat chalk, with a deficiency of ascorbic and folic acid- green vegetables, with a lack of B vitamins - the desire to drink beer. At the same time, the search engine makes sure that the woman does not eat anything that will be harmful to her or the child. It is for this purpose that changes occur in the gastrointestinal tract that facilitate the process of rejection of currently unsuitable food and prolong the process of processing suitable food.

However, things are not always so simple. In cases where there are hidden metabolic disorders in a woman’s body, the “search engine” command can be paradoxical, i.e. one that, instead of eliminating the deficit, contributes to its strengthening. The result is a vicious circle. For example, the body does not have enough iron, and a woman, against the background of serious anemia (decreased amount of hemoglobin), develops a specific metallic taste in the mouth, but at the same time she develops an aversion to meat, although it is the consumption of meat that could at least partially help solve the problem of impaired iron exchange. In such cases, the only way out is vitamin-mineral complexes. Although sometimes there may be disgusting olfactory reactions to them. Why such a phenomenon occurs is still a mystery that science has yet to solve.

Before this, we talked about addictions that generally do not threaten the life of the mother, but in the early stages of pregnancy, some women have a desire to eat inedible foods: chalk, clay, sand, lime, earth. Some people are very attracted to the vapors of gasoline, acetone and other volatile substances. Such occurrences are fortunately rare. Should such cravings be satisfied? Of course, such desires should not be satisfied. And they are again called by the “command” of the same “search engine”. If such desires are persistent, it is important to visit a doctor, because... they are caused by neurochemical changes in the body. Probably, vapors of such harmful substances somehow affect the functioning of the brain: this is how the body reacts to the altered balance of excitation and inhibition processes. But under no circumstances should the expectant mother satisfy such desires, because harmful fumes can have a disfiguring effect on the developing fetus. In such cases, the doctor corrects the situation by prescribing drugs that improve metabolic processes in the brain (glycine, glutamic acid, vitamins).

So, it is the hormonal changes in the body that greatly influence taste preferences (desire for one thing and aversion to another). According to world-renowned M.D. Michele Glissman, “Those weird hormones that rush through the body in the first three months of pregnancy cause taste quirks.”

Samuel M. Flaxman and Paul Sherman stated that nausea, vomiting and altered taste preferences during pregnancy serve a beneficial function: it is a natural mechanism for protecting the mother and fetus from illness caused by food, as well as protecting the fetus from harmful substances that can adversely affect influence the formation of its organs and tissues. Their findings help explain why many pregnant women initially develop an aversion to meat, some vegetables and caffeinated drinks, and a preference for mildly flavored foods. According to Sherman, food aversion also provides protection against toxins produced by microorganisms and other teratogenic (fetal defective) substances.

At the same time, in the first three months of pregnancy, embryonic cells differentiate and begin to form structures. These developing structures and organ systems - arms, legs, eyes and central nervous system - during the critical stage of new life formation can be adversely affected by teratogens contained in some plants; their components can also have a negative effect on the course of pregnancy: for example, parsley can cause uterine contractions and provoke the threat of miscarriage. It is no coincidence that a pregnant woman’s body often rejects spices.

What to do if you really want something harmful and are not at all drawn to something useful?

1. When taste and smell habits are frightening, driving you crazy, or preventing you from living a normal daily life, consult a doctor.

2. If you really want something, then bon appetit! But remember about reasonable doses and reasonable needs. For example, if you want to eat sand, then, of course, you shouldn’t do this.

3. Be picky about trying new things. Then you are unlikely to get poisoned by anything or develop an allergy. First, try to find out the composition of such an attractive-smelling product.

4. It is important to always remember that quirks or whims are your own business, they should not become a reason for resentment, tears or even depression. It’s not your loved ones’ fault that they didn’t guess what you wanted for lunch today: try to talk about your passions, discuss them - and there will be more understanding.

5. A pregnant woman can sometimes be difficult to please, so try to treat yourself with humor: this will help the most!

It is known that the tastes and desires of a pregnant woman change. Nature has provided the expectant mother with the so-called “food intuition of a pregnant woman.” Modern dietetics, medicine and biology do not have complete information about the absolutely correct nutrition of a pregnant woman. Only the basic principle is known: food should be varied, as healthy as possible and contain a minimum amount of processed and artificial foods. In the first trimester of pregnancy, there is an active restructuring of the body and its adaptation to a new state. Now the child expresses his needs through his mother, demanding microelements, vitamins and nutrients that are beneficial for him. Both mother and her family will have to take this into account when providing the products they crave. However, here, more than anywhere else, a reasonable approach is appropriate. Listening to your desires is important, but satisfy them in reasonable quantities.

So, no matter what is hidden behind such strange preferences of pregnant women, we need to listen to them and sometimes think about what kind of deficit our “whims” are trying to eliminate. Scientists admit that some cases taste preferences impossible to explain. And in any case, don't force yourself to eat something that is considered "good" for you if you don't want to.

The autonomic nervous system is the part of the nervous system responsible for the functioning of internal organs.

Comments on the article

I’m 33 weeks, damn it (my sense of smell is so heightened that I’m disgusted by the smell of my mother, but I get high from the smell of processed gasoline, and the smell when hot water is poured into the bathroom, the evaporation of water.

11th week I vomit a lot at intervals. A pregnant woman for the first time reacts very badly to smells. Just recently, when my husband came home, I felt that he smelled of gasoline, and now everyone who smokes smells of gasoline and I feel very bad

34 weeks, really like the smell laundry soap. I already hand wash small things, wash the bathroom, wash the floors, just to smell the smell once again. Throughout my pregnancy I have been sickened by any perfume.

Oh girls, I’m in my 4th week. Weakness and nausea have completely exhausted me. I’m sick of the smell of coffee, the sight of sweets, but before I couldn’t live without them, the aroma of my own perfume and deodorant is irritating. in general, it's a kick-ass))) judging by your comments, everything is just beginning. Well, it’s okay, let’s be patient, as long as the babies are born healthy, which is what I wish for everyone)

This is my first pregnancy, I heard about a heightened sense of smell in this position, but I thought that they were greatly exaggerating, now I understand that it is not. The smell of coffee, fried fish and garlic makes me sick especially strongly. I constantly lack clean air, I want to live in a tent, away from everyone =)

The author of the text does not understand the word "teratogenicity". This is not the case when I ate parsley and had a miscarriage due to increased uterine contractions. This is when I took an aspirin tablet and gave birth to a baby with a cleft lip.

I'm 34 weeks. The smell of my husband, detergents, especially for dishes, is disgusting. But the dectar soap and the smell of new things are divine. And I still have toxicosis.

Oh girls, how I laughed just now, Ahaha this is something. I, too, am disgusted by my husband’s smell, it’s just a nightmare, especially when he tries to kiss me, and I hold my breath when he’s close. I feel horribly nauseous, I can’t eat, I can’t go into the kitchen, I can’t open the refrigerator either, detergent turns out. 8 weeks pregnant, can't wait for it to be over

Girls, I read the comments and understand that everything is not so scary for me. I feel nauseous, but thank God I don’t vomit. I'm about 8 weeks pregnant now. I want sour, salty and... beer. I mostly save tangerines, I drink tea with half a lemon. meat, fish, everything that publishes Strong smell I can't eat. I suffer from constant heartburn, so I drink everything down periodically activated carbon. I can smell the smells a kilometer away. who ate what in the morning, what deodorant they use. The smells of the kitchen are like death, but you still have to cook. So just keep the window wide open. I hope that this torment will end soon, which I wish for all of you. After all, children are happiness)))

someone help! the smell makes me sick own husband and daughters, more precisely from the fact that the sebaceous glands of the head (clean head) are secreted. Now 4 weeks into my last pregnancy it was the same throughout the entire period. I can’t do this anymore, it’s unbearable: (can anyone tell me what to do, how to calm my sense of smell?

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Maria Sokolova

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During pregnancy, many expectant mothers suddenly feel that their usual taste preferences have changed, and what previously caused disgust begins to attract, and what they love and know begins to cause disgust. The same can be said about smells. From time to time, expectant mothers have completely outlandish desires. One suddenly finds her favorite coffee disgusting, and she greedily rushes to raw meat. Another uses a spoon to scoop up coffee grounds and put them in her mouth, biting them with raw potatoes. The third goes to lick the soap. The fourth flies for hamburgers and breaded wings from fast food, and the fifth washes down condensed milk with beer and chips with baked milk.

What could this mean, and is it worth fighting such desires?

Strange desires of pregnant women: reasons

Poll of sociologists: what do you want most?

Sociologists who conducted research in this area were primarily interested in questions about concentration changes in taste preferences and the appearance in the diet of women of products that were not previously consumed. Based on the results of the survey, it turned out that the most unexpected desires of expectant mothers are plaster, soap and cigarette ashes. Among the products that appeared in the diets, such as raw onions, hot peppers, licorice, ice, blue cheese, horseradish, raw potatoes and pickled apples. Thus, all products that expectant mothers crave have a sharp, pronounced taste.

Expert opinion:

A strong desire of the expectant mother to put something unusual in her mouth usually means signal from the body about the lack of substances and microelements necessary for the baby, which are not present in the required quantities in the usual food.

It should be remembered that the use of substances, even insanely highly desirable ones, such as chalk, plaster or soap, can lead to very negative consequences. They contain harmful impurities. If the craving for such items increases, you should seek help from doctors, so that they, in turn, can prescribe medications to replenish necessary for the body substances.

Strange taste desires of expectant mothers - what do they mean?

There are many reasons that provoke an expectant mother to consume certain foods that have not been consumed before. And of course, real reasons can only be detected by a doctor after examination for nutritional deficiencies and the presence of certain diseases in the body. Certain taste desires can tell the expectant mother a lot about the state of her health. Adequate and timely measures will help her eliminate health problems and save her baby.

Of course, in this case we are talking about acute obsessive desires that haunt the expectant mother every day. And such a desire as, for example, to eat a slice of cheese in the morning is unlikely to indicate serious problems in the body.

Progesterone and pregnancy

The main “initiator” of such problems in the body of the expectant mother is hormone progesterone , actively produced during pregnancy. This hormone helps preserve the baby in the womb , and the beginning of its development is the moment when ovum attaches to the uterine wall. Progesterone production occurs before the thirty-eighth week.

With the start of hormone production in the body Consistent biochemical changes in the smells, tastes and even tearfulness of the expectant mother begin . Progesterone has the function of “adjusting” the program for replenishing scarce elements . If there are any, then the pregnant woman instantly receives a signal about this problem in the form of an acute desire specific product or substances. The same hormone improves the absorption of necessary foods and stimulates the rejection of inappropriate foods.

The need for sweet and salty foods in the first trimester

Do you want something salty? Unbearably craving pickles, chips and fast food? This need of the body in the first trimester may be associated with its protective functions.

Toxicosis occurring early in pregnancy provokes fluid loss in the body . To prevent dehydration, the body requires foods high in salt, which help retain water and maintain water-salt balance.

And here for dessert most often during pregnancy pulls skinny girls . In this way, nature signals to them that it is time to gain a little weight and gain the missing kilograms. In this case the beginning of pregnancy is accompanied by acute desires for sweets, fatty and starchy foods . But you should not rush to satisfy the whims of the body. Sweet foods cause both a sharp drop and a rapid rise in blood sugar. And for this reason, before you hit the cake counter, it's worth considering foods that are rich in proteins (eg eggs and meat). But regarding sweets: it is better to choose a product that is not absorbed too quickly and energizes the body the right energy. For example, muesli.

Taste preferences and psychology

The psychological reason for the “whims” of a pregnant woman is a sign for the man and the future father. It is quite possible that with such whims a woman is trying attract his attention . Moreover, this does not always happen consciously. Requests - “cook me something tasty”, “buy me something like that” and “bring me something that I don’t know myself, but I really want” can be caused by ordinary attention deficit.

The presence of the future father and his participation in the difficult everyday life of the expectant mother, harmony in the family is the key to a favorable pregnancy.

To fulfill or not to fulfill the whims of the expectant mother?

In this case, everything depends on the adequacy of the whims and, of course, on the possibilities.

One demands wild strawberries in February, the other sniffs the exhaust fumes, leaning out into open window car. It is absolutely clear that the second option will not benefit the baby, and the first is nothing more than a whim, like snowdrops in the middle of winter.

If future dad and the relatives of a pregnant woman can afford to drive around at night in search of a certain type of orange, smoked meat or papaya with passion fruit, then why not?

Dangerous oddities in the desires of expectant mothers

Quite rare, but, alas, noted olfactory desires of pregnant women to sniff hairspray, acetone or gasoline vapors should be strictly controlled by expectant mothers. Indulging them, of course, is dangerous. This is harmful for both mother and baby. In a situation where such desires become too intrusive, you should definitely report them to the doctor.

The reason for such oddities may be changes at the neurochemical level in the processes of inhibition and excitation. It is their body that may be trying to put it in order, forcing the expectant mother to inhale volatile substances that affect brain function. With the help of medications prescribed by a doctor, you can improve metabolic processes in the brain without indulging in your weirdness.

Cravings for harmful things (alcohol, fatty foods, etc.) What to do?

First of all, discuss your strange taste preferences with your doctor.

How to avoid strange taste quirks during pregnancy:

Reviews:

Julia:

In the first trimester, I was most drawn to sausages, fish with mayonnaise and sausage. Now only for dessert. I accidentally dug up a bag of caramels in my nightstand and cracked it without thinking. 🙂 And I also got hooked on the Picnic with Walnuts chocolate bar. It's just a pity that it doesn't happen everywhere. Therefore, you have to take a lot at once. 🙂

Inna:

I remember eating coffee grounds like crazy during pregnancy. Just spoons. I didn’t drink the coffee myself, but I finished the grounds after everyone else. It was just terrible how they looked at me. 🙂 As soon as I gave birth, the desire immediately disappeared. And I always wanted chalk. I even ground up eggshells and ate them. And raw potatoes. I plan on soup, and then, imperceptibly, a couple of slices. 🙂

Maria:

And I heard that if you have a terrible craving for sweets, then perhaps there are problems with the liver and bile ducts. Can . You need to do gymnastics, and everything will be ok. And the desire for meat, more and more crispy, is a protein deficiency. But the baby simply needs it, so you urgently need to lean on protein-rich foods. But sauerkraut contains the most vitamin C. 🙂

Irina:

And I constantly sniff sunflower oil. My husband laughs and calls me a drug addict. 🙂 And you can’t just pull me away by the ears. I also crave salty foods, pickled mushrooms and eggplants. Sweets immediately cause a gag reflex. It's time to go and get checked for problems in the body. 🙂

Sofia:

After the third month, my daughter-in-law started eating jam with fried potatoes, vegetables with a lot of mayonnaise and ice cream drowned in a jar of jam. 🙂 And my friend constantly licked her lipstick. 🙂

Anastasia:

And my daughter and I started eating fast food main problem. 🙂 As I walk past, that’s it! Gone. Fried potatoes, nuggets... But it turns out that you just need to go to the doctor... 🙂 And I always want another snack. I pour boiling water over it, I can’t even wait for it to brew, and I pounce. I also leave some green peas in there and pour mayonnaise over everything. 🙂 My family looks at me with horror, but I enjoy it. 🙂

Mila:

With my first child, I really wanted beer and sprat in tomato. Simply unbearable! Some guy walks by with a bottle, and I’m already drooling - even if you ask him to give me a sip. 🙂 And I cracked the sprat in the tomato like boxes. And with my second daughter, I already had more aesthetic desires. The first half I just wanted oranges. The husband, poor fellow, would sometimes come after them in the middle of the night. 🙂 And the second half I just chalked everything. I gained 20 kg during pregnancy (I was about to give birth at 70 kg). A month after giving birth, I returned to my usual 50 kg. 🙂

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