Heartburn during pregnancy
Heartburn during pregnancy is not dangerous, but very unpleasant. You can get rid of it at home. The main thing is to understand the cause and recognize the symptoms of concomitant diseases in time.

Heartburn is a feeling of burning, pain, or heaviness in the upper abdomen or behind the breastbone. It is provoked by reflux, that is, the release of gastric juice into the esophagus. The process may be accompanied by a feeling of bitterness in the mouth, nausea, heaviness in the stomach, salivation, coughing or hoarseness.

Normally, the esophagus and stomach are reliably separated by a muscular annular valve – the sphincter. But often there is a situation that he does not cope with his function.

Causes of heartburn during pregnancy

According to statistics, heartburn is experienced by 20 to 50% (according to other sources – from 30 to 60%) of the population. In Asia, Africa and Latin America, this figure is several times lower. During pregnancy, heartburn worries up to 80% of women.

There are two main explanations for this.

The expectant mother actively produces progesterone, the “pregnancy hormone”. Its task is to relax all the muscles and ligaments for childbirth. Therefore, the esophageal sphincter begins to cope worse with its function. The second point is that a growing baby exerts pressure on the stomach. It remains to patiently wait for his birth and carry out symptomatic treatment. But there are such causes of heartburn during pregnancy, when more serious drug therapy or even surgery is required:

  • gastroesophageal reflux disease. It is associated with a violation of the gastrointestinal tract, primarily with abnormal peristalsis of the esophagus and involuntary relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter. Left untreated, GERD can lead to narrowing of the esophagus, bleeding, and ulcers;
  • hiatal hernia. This muscle separates the chest and abdomen. The esophagus passes through a hole in it. If it is enlarged, then part of the stomach is in the chest cavity. Such a protrusion is called a diaphragmatic hernia. It is often accompanied by belching, the ingress of stomach contents into the oral cavity, pain as in angina pectoris – appearing in the lower part of the sternum and extending to the back, left shoulder and arm.
  • increased intra-abdominal pressure. It can be caused by enlargement of the liver or spleen, as well as obstructive pulmonary disease;
  • peptic ulcer and other disorders of the stomach, pancreas, gallbladder or duodenum (gastritis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis, cholelithiasis, etc.);
  • tumors of various localization and origin.

Do not engage in self-diagnosis and self-treatment. When heartburn occurs more than twice a week (especially if it comes with sleep disturbances and anxiety), see a physician. He will tell you which examinations to undergo and which narrow specialists to contact.

How to get rid of heartburn during pregnancy at home

If there are no pathological problems, then specific treatment for heartburn during pregnancy is not required. The obstetrician/gynecologist will recommend medications to relieve symptoms and make lifestyle and dietary adjustments.

Most often, antacids are prescribed (they contain salts of magnesium, calcium, aluminum, they neutralize hydrochloric acid, so the esophageal mucosa is not irritated like that) and alginates (when interacting with the contents of the stomach, they form a protective barrier that does not allow excess into the esophagus). Antisecretory drugs that suppress the formation of hydrochloric acid in the stomach and prokinetics that increase the tone of the esophageal sphincter and stimulate contraction of the esophagus are used during pregnancy only if there are strict indications and under the supervision of a physician due to the risk of side effects.

First trimester

Heartburn in the first trimester of pregnancy is usually associated with an increase in progesterone, so it does not bother you much and quickly passes by itself.

Second trimester

If heartburn during pregnancy did not bother at the beginning, then there is a high probability of encountering it after the 20th week. During this period, the uterus begins to actively grow and put pressure on neighboring organs. The stomach has nowhere to stretch, so even the usual amount of food can lead to overflow and back into the esophagus eaten.

Third trimester

As the fetus grows, heartburn will become more intense. But closer to childbirth, it will become a little easier – the uterus will lower and “free” the stomach, progesterone will cease to be produced so actively.

Prevention of heartburn during pregnancy

The increase in progesterone and the growth of the uterus are objective reasons that cannot be influenced. But there are some tips for preventing heartburn during pregnancy, which will once again not provoke discomfort.

Adjust your lifestyle:

  • do not bend over sharply, especially after eating;
  • do not lie down one and a half to two hours after eating;
  • during sleep, put a second pillow so that your head is higher than your stomach;
  • remove tight belts, corsets, tight clothes from the wardrobe;
  • do not lift weights;
  • give up bad habits (smoking, alcohol, drinking strong tea and coffee in large quantities), although it is important to do this without heartburn during pregnancy for the normal development of the baby.

Adjust your diet:

  • do not overeat, it is better to eat less, but more often (divide the usual volume into 5-6 doses);
  • chew food thoroughly;
  • make sure that the food is not too hot and not too cold;
  • have dinner no later than 2-3 hours before bedtime;
  • choose the right foods and drinks.

Analyze, after which heartburn occurs most often and eliminate this factor. What does not affect one person in any way, for the stomach of another can be an exorbitant burden.

Popular questions and answers

What eating habits in a pregnant woman provoke heartburn?
It is important not only to avoid too fatty, sour and spicy, sweet soda and other irritating foods, but also not to go to bed immediately after eating so that the uterus does not put additional pressure on the stomach and does not provoke reflux.
Can heartburn during pregnancy occur due to medication?
Yes, heartburn can provoke aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as drugs to lower blood pressure.
Is there a relationship between the patient’s overweight and heartburn?
The question is moot. Of course, being overweight negatively affects the digestive system. But it is not a fundamental factor. As medical practice shows, very thin patients also suffer from heartburn, and this phenomenon was not familiar to the full.
You can find a lot of tips on how to eliminate heartburn in folk ways – soda, celery infusion, viburnum jam … What methods are useless or even harmful during pregnancy?
Soda is used because the alkali extinguishes the acidic environment. But here mineral water from which gases are released is better. Celery is also an alkaline food. But sour viburnum will only cause more oxidation. I recommend using a decoction of oatmeal jelly and ginger, but not pickled, but fresh.
What types of drugs for heartburn can be used during pregnancy?
Over-the-counter drugs such as Rennie, Gaviscon, Laminal and the like can also be advised in a pharmacy. Other drugs mentioned above – their use should be monitored by the attending physician.

Leave a Reply