Are you pining for pickles and pretzels? Or dreaming of dairy and dessert? If so, you are not alone. Studies show that more than 50 percent of pregnant women have cravings for foods they do not normally eat.

"Since I became pregnant, I have cravings for Twins Pizza, which is a pizza restaurant in North Providence," says Carolynn Bucki-Lowe, who is pregnant with her first child. "I'm not a big pizza eater, but I craved that particular pizza, and could be seen eating Twins Pizza every day for two weeks!"

So what can be the cause of Bucki-Lowe's sudden urge for pizza? "It's believed that cravings are caused by the unique hormone changes of pregnancy," says Dr. Kenneth Johnson, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the College of Osteopathic Medicine at Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Cravings may also be from a lack of certain nutrients. For instance, if you can't seem to get enough salty foods, such as pickles or pretzels, you may need more sodium in your diet. If you're feeling like a steak on a daily basis, then you may be short on iron. And craving chocolate? It could be a sign you're low on B vitamins.

A pregnant woman's heightened sense of smell can bring on some strange cravings. "Before I realized I was pregnant, I was craving Cheerios," Bucki-Lowe says. "Every day at work I could smell them, but I could not figure out where the smell was coming from. Apparently, my sense of smell was enhanced and I was picking up on a neighboring employee's breakfast."

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