IF you’ve never been pregnant, it’s probably easy to dismiss weird and wonderful pregnancy cravings as an exaggeration or myth. But most experts – and of course women who have been pregnant – say otherwise.

A survey, by C&G Baby Club Community, revealed expectant mums hankering for everything from chocolate, sour pickles, and salty crisps; to the slightly less standard soap, chalk and toothpaste, as well as rubber, paint and rocks. One woman confessed to a desire for tree bark, and another was hungry for the smell of tennis balls.

A quarter of respondents said they wanted bizarre mixtures of sweet and savoury foods, such as sausages and jam, Mars bars and bacon, and Yorkshire pudding with chocolate spread. If that wasn’t enough, there was also ice cream and chips, prawn cocktail crisps and strawberry yoghurt, cheese and onion crisps with Nutella and chicken and ice cream.

Dr Virginia Beckett, of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, is unfazed: “It’s common for women’s sense of taste to change in pregnancy, so foods they previously enjoyed may be less palatable. Also, foods they never really cared for will be irresistible.”

Extensive research during the past 40 years has failed to pin down the reason for cravings.

‘‘Occasionally, cravings are for non-food items which could cause harm. Eating soil, for example, could lead to parasitic infections, and crunching ice can damage the teeth,” adds Dr Beckett.

In most cases thankfully, pregnancy cravings are no more than a fleeting fancy, and she stresses that women generally have no need for any worry.

‘‘If you have any concerns, talk to your midwife – if you think you’re overeating sugary foods, for example. But although most women do experience cravings during pregnancy, they usually go away.’’