Is it normal not to have food cravings during pregnancy?

Yes. Though we've grown up with images of pregnant women ordering ice cream with a side of pickles or sending their partners out in the middle of the night for a very specific brand of potato chips, it's perfectly normal to have no specific or unusual food cravings at all.

"It's not a sign that there's anything wrong with the pregnancy," says George Macones, head of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Modern science still can't explain why some pregnant women have cravings. Hormonal changes may play a part — these can have a profound effect on your sense of smell and taste, making a humble slice of salami taste extra delicious while the smell of broccoli cooking makes you want to gag.

Some people believe that cravings arise due to a shortage of a certain vitamin or mineral, but studies haven't found a link.

Sacramento, California, ob-gyn Laurie Gregg says about half of her patients report not having food cravings during pregnancy. And those who do have cravings often hanker for pretty basic stuff, she says, like bread, crackers, and chips.

Still, if you're in the middle of your pregnancy and not longing for any distinctive food, you may be feeling robbed of a quintessential pregnancy experience.

True, you'll never be able to tell your child you ate bacon-and-peanut-butter sandwiches while pregnant with her. But your lack of cravings could have an important benefit: less worry about taking in unnecessary calories from unhealthy foods. If you're not yearning for sweets and fatty meals during pregnancy, it will be much easier to make nutritious food choices.

Plus, you won't have to beg your partner to run out in the middle of the night for that special brand of potato chips.