Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 30, 2026

Ear Plaster Therapy as a Safe and Effective Treatment for Gestational Vomiting
Published on: August 4, 2023
Hypokalemic myopathy in pregnancy caused by clay ingestion
Chinwe Ukaonu1, D Ashley Hill, Franklyn Christensen
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Florida Hospital Family Practice Residency, Orlando, Florida 32803, USA.
Background:
We present a case of severe hypokalemic myopathy during pregnancy caused by clay ingestion.
Case:
A multigravida presented with fatigue, muscle weakness, and a 3-day history of extremity pain. Serum potassium levels were 1.5 mEq/L, requiring intravenous potassium replacement. The initial evaluation was unrewarding for the cause of the patient's hypokalemia until a family member reported that the patient frequently ate large quantities of clay. Discontinuation of clay ingestion led to normalization of potassium levels.
Conclusion:
Pica, the persistent ingestion of nonnutritive substances, can cause a number of medical problems. Pica of clay, called geophagia, can bind potassium in the intestine, leading to severe hypokalemic myopathy. Clinicians caring for pregnant women with fatigue, muscle weakness, and hypokalemia should consider geophagia as a possible cause.
Related Concept Videos
Antihypertensive Drugs: Potassium-Sparing Diuretics
Diabetic Ketoacidosis ll: Pathophysiology
Teratogenicity
Introduction to Electrolytes
Role of Sodium
One...
Roles of Electrolytes: Chloride and Bicarbonate
Conditions such as hypochloremia can arise from insufficient chloride reabsorption by the kidneys, often compounded by extended bouts of diarrhea, vomiting, or...
Diabetic Ketoacidosis l: Introduction

