title: [Geophagy and pregnancy: current knowledge and management. Clinical experiences of an obstetrical department in French Guiana].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide an overview of the current state of knowledge concerning the determinants and consequences of geophagy during pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Bibliographic searching of articles published in English or French and included in the Scopus database, and reporting of our experience with the management of geophagic pregnant women at the maternity unit of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni (French Guiana).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Geophagy is a little known practice initiated by various stimuli, including nausea and iron deficiency. Sustained geophagy during pregnancy has many consequences, due to complex ionic interactions with the digestive tract. Clay consumption may lead to iron deficiency, which may even be life-threatening in cases of post-partum haemorrhage in severely anaemic women. For the foetus, in addition to the known risk of preterm birth associated with maternal anaemia, maternal geophagy may lead to overexposure to heavy metals, including aluminium in particular. This practice should therefore be considered potentially damaging to the neurological development of the child. The ionic imbalances caused by the ingestion of clay over a long period should be systematically evaluated and corrected, given the secondary malabsorption they may cause, often necessitating parenteral feeding.
authors.affiliation: Service de gynécologie-obstétrique, centre hospitalier de l'Ouest guyanais, 16, avenue du Général-de-Gaulle, BP 245, 97320 St-Laurent-du-Maroni, Guyane française. Electronic address: v.lambert@ch-ouestguyanais.fr.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lambert
authors.affiliation: Service de gynécologie-obstétrique, centre hospitalier de l'Ouest guyanais, 16, avenue du Général-de-Gaulle, BP 245, 97320 St-Laurent-du-Maroni, Guyane française.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pouget
authors.affiliation: Centre d'investigation clinique épidémiologie, clinique Antilles Guyane CIC-EC CIE 802, centre hospitalier de Cayenne, rue des Flamboyants, BP 6006, 97306 Cayenne, Guyane française.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Basurko
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'analyse, centre hospitalier de l'Ouest guyanais, 16, avenue du Général-de-Gaulle, BP 245, 97320 St-Laurent-du-Maroni, Guyane française.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Boukhari
authors.affiliation: Service de gynécologie-obstétrique, centre hospitalier de l'Ouest guyanais, 16, avenue du Général-de-Gaulle, BP 245, 97320 St-Laurent-du-Maroni, Guyane française.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dallah
authors.affiliation: Service de gynécologie-obstétrique, centre hospitalier de l'Ouest guyanais, 16, avenue du Général-de-Gaulle, BP 245, 97320 St-Laurent-du-Maroni, Guyane française.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carles
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005616:French Guiana; D000075322:Heavy Metal Poisoning; D006801:Humans; D010842:Pica / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology; D011041:Poisoning / Q000209:etiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000209:etiology
keywords: Aluminium; Aluminum; Anémie ferriprive; Geophagia; Grossesse; Géophagie; Heavy metal; Iron-deficiency anemia; Métaux lourds; Pica; Pregnancy