Heartburn in pregnancy. When does it arise, what will help and how to alleviate it?
Pregnant women experience many changes in their body during pregnancy. Unfortunately, they also include those that can make pregnancy quite uncomfortable. However, these are often processes that are typical for pregnancy. It is enough to mention morning sickness, straining to vomit, shortness of breath, hardening of the abdomen or indigestion. Heartburn during pregnancy (reflux) is also one of the unpleasant conditions. Medically, it is also called pyrosis, and it is a reflux disease of the esophagus. During heartburn, pregnant women experience unpleasant acidity and a bad taste in the mouth, which can make them want to vomit. What will help heartburn in pregnancy? Does baking soda really help with heartburn?
Author:Victoria Clark
Updated: 04.12.2023
The condition of heartburn during pregnancy is nothing special. Of course, it may not occur during every pregnancy. It is still true that every pregnancy is different and every woman's organism processes individual changes and processes in the body differently. However, reflux itself can be quite unpleasant, because its symptoms can last for several minutes or even hours. Also, as a rule, this condition tends to return. Its formation is mainly influenced by hormonal and biological changes during pregnancy. Baby hair is often mentioned in connection with heartburn during pregnancy. What is the connection here? How does heartburn manifest itself in pregnancy?
What is heartburn?
Heartburn is not a rare condition that occurs only in pregnant women. Some people, both men and women, suffer from this reflux disease quite often. This clinical condition is professionally called pyrosis and it is a reflux disease of the esophagus. During heartburn, the gastric juices, by their action, return part of the contents from the stomach through the esophageal sphincter directly into the esophagus. The esophagus connects the pharynx and the stomach. Irritation of the mucous membrane of the esophagus causes unpleasant symptoms. It is unpleasant if this condition persists for several minutes or hours and repeatedly returns or intensifies. It often appears in sleep. Under normal circumstances, heartburn is most often caused by the consumption of food or drugs that can cause this condition in the stomach. Alternatively, the trigger may be excessive stress.
In pregnancy, heartburn is often caused by hormonal changes, but in the later stages of pregnancy, also by the growth of the uterus and the enlargement of the fetus. Hormones such as progesterone, estrogen and relaxin during pregnancy can cause a decrease in esophageal sphincter pressure. The latter is subsequently unable to prevent the penetration of gastric juices into the esophagus and irritation of the mucous membrane of the esophagus occurs, which causes a condition we call heartburn or reflux.
When does heartburn start in pregnancy?
Approximately 30 to 50% of pregnant women experience problems associated with reflux disease of the esophagus - heartburn. Statistically, 25% of women experience this irritation of the esophageal mucosa in the first trimester, around 30% in the second trimester, and in a combination of hormonal and mechanical factors (fetal growth), up to 75% of pregnant women experience heartburn in the third trimester. When heartburn manifests itself depends on the specific case of a pregnant woman. There are also possibilities that the irritation was caused only exceptionally, for example, only by eating an inappropriate food, and after stopping it, the burning will no longer appear. Only a small percentage of pregnant women seek medical gastroenterology help in these cases. A baby in the belly does not pose a risk of heartburn.
Heartburn in pregnancy - symptoms and manifestations
How does heartburn manifest itself in pregnancy? First of all, it is a burning-warming sensation in the chest, sometimes heartburn can even cause an unpleasant pressure behind the sternum and on the chest. It is very common that reflux causes straining to vomit, because the contents of the stomach move through the esophagus to the mouth. Returning stomach juices cause a person to have a sour or bitter taste in the mouth. An unpleasant feeling reaches the neck. That's why some pregnant women report unpleasant scratching in the throat, they have problems with swallowing, or even irritation of the esophageal mucosa causes an irritating cough. Other symptoms may include flatulence, a bloated stomach or belching.
Reasons why heartburn occurs - unsuitable foods
We already mentioned above that in the case of pregnant women, the cause is primarily hormonal and biological processes related to changes in the body. If you experienced problems with heartburn even before pregnancy, there is a high probability that symptoms may also be present during pregnancy. Esophageal reflux can also be caused by a dietary error in eating. Avoid stressful situations as well.
A woman's digestion is slower during pregnancy due to the effects of hormones, and the longer food stays in the stomach, the higher the risk of heartburn. Women are advised to avoid spicy and sour foods, despite the fact that the taste buds would like such tastes. Which foods are better to avoid if you suffer from heartburn? Which foods increase the risk of irritation of the esophageal mucosa ?
- citrus fruits,
- garlic,
- onion,
- caffeine,
- carbonated and sweetened drinks,
- chocolate,
- sour, spicy and spicy foods,
- fried foods,
- tomatoes,
- mint,
- fatty meat and animal fats,
- alcohol or smoking.
What works for heartburn in pregnancy?
The feeling of heartburn is definitely not pleasant, and expectant mothers are often looking for a way to reduce heartburn during pregnancy or get rid of it completely. Of course, there are several options that can help relieve this unpleasant condition in your case. Here are some tips to reduce or prevent heartburn.
Eating habits and proper drinking regime
Allow yourself enough time to eat. It definitely does not help digestion if you consume food quickly. Larger pieces of food also take longer to digest in the stomach, so chew the food thoroughly. Eat smaller portions at least 5 to 7 times a day. When eating, sit upright, eating and lying do not go together, and different couch positions are also not suitable.
Doctors recommend not to drink while eating, at most for the necessary drink. It is better to take liquids between individual portions of food and in smaller doses. Do not lie down immediately after eating, rather sit and support your back. You should eat your last meal no later than 3 hours before going to bed.
Correct position during sleep
No sleeping on your back or stomach, these positions during pregnancy are definitely not ideal. It is ideal to sleep on your left side, as this prevents stomach juices from backing up into your esophagus. It is also suitable, for example, to support your head or back with an extra pillow. Once again, you will support digestion and the gastric juices will stay where they belong. Also wear loose clothing, and this also applies to pajamas for sleeping.
Ginger or baking soda for heartburn
Some foods help to reduce unpleasant feelings of heartburn. For example, ginger is highly recommended. However, it is not necessary to overdo it, because it has a relatively spicy taste. However, it contains ingredients that aid digestion and start enzymatic processes. Some mineral - non-sparkling waters (alkaline) are suitable. Pay attention to the sodium content in such waters to avoid an increase in blood pressure. Reflux can also be alleviated by watermelon, apple, raw carrot, avocado or fennel seeds. The fiber will help the peristalsis of the intestines to improve and digestion will be more efficient.
You can try the proven method, which is a glass of lukewarm water together with half a teaspoon of baking soda. Turmeric, which you can add in small amounts to various dishes, can also be helpful. It soothes the mucous membrane of the esophagus and speeds up the digestion process. Some women recommend sauerkraut, almonds, a teaspoon of mustard or chamomile or honey tea.
Milk for heartburn?
Perhaps you have often heard a proven grandmother's recipe that milk relieves stomach acid and heartburn. In some cases, milk can really help, because it is alkaline and thus neutralizes the juices in the stomach. However, it is advisable to drink milk only in small quantities. Ideally, if the milk is semi-skimmed or skimmed.
On the contrary, milk can make heartburn even worse in some cases. The reason is the content of calcium and animal fats in milk. Stomach juices are forced to produce more acid, which can cause even more pressure on the esophageal sphincter.
Probiotics during pregnancy
You can also consult a doctor, there are some available medicines that are suitable for pregnant women. You don't have to worry about nutritional supplements that support digestion. Taking probiotics that improve the microflora can be helpful. There are even special probiotics for pregnant women or chewable tablets (Gastrotuss) or candies containing calcium carbonate. However, consult your doctor about this step as well. In case of greater difficulties, the doctor can prescribe drug treatment with the help of the so-called proton pump inhibitors. In some women, heartburn often persists throughout pregnancy, and this recurring condition disappears only after childbirth.
Heartburn and baby hair
If you search the internet for solutions related to heartburn relief, you may come across an interesting finding that a pregnant woman has heartburn because she is expecting a hairy baby. It is an ordinary myth that is not based on truth. No exact scientific evidence has yet proven this claim. However, many mothers associate heartburn with the baby's hair growth. Estrogen is a hormone that is involved in the growth of the baby's hair, but its production is generally increased during pregnancy. Therefore, the direct connection between heartburn and the baby's hair has no real connection. It's the same with the fact that heartburn during pregnancy is a harbinger of the fact that a woman is expecting a boy.
Heartburn in pregnancy - experience
In forums and discussions, women most often discuss solutions that will relieve them of this unpleasant feeling in connection with the topic of heartburn. Primarily, women recommend avoiding potentially irritating foods. At the same time, however, they perceive heartburn as natural. They also recommend various foods that relieve heartburn - milk, almonds, mustard, mineral water (Fatra), baking soda and others. Other women were helped by nutritional supplements, chewable tablets or candies for a change. Some women were not helped by home recipes or other advice and simply had to suffer heartburn.
The most frequent questions - FAQ
Have you also experienced heartburn during pregnancy? Do you want to know why this condition occurs in a large number of cases in pregnant women? What does it mean and is heartburn dangerous? We will be happy to answer your questions in our article. In case of further questions, do not hesitate to write us a comment under the article. We will also be very happy if you share your experience with us. What has helped you with heartburn during pregnancy? Share your tips and recommendations in the discussion.
What about heartburn during pregnancy?
How to alleviate heartburn during pregnancy?
How does heartburn manifest itself during pregnancy?
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