Heartburn and Pregnancy: Everything you need to Know

What is heartburn?

This condition is a digestive one and has nothing to do with the heart except the name. It is a burning sensation that is felt in the esophagus, chest, stomach, and sometimes in the throat. It is caused by the acid reflux moving up from the stomach.

Causes of heartburn during pregnancy

• Hormonal changes during pregnancy can affect the muscles of the gestational tract causing them to become loose, this allows food and acid to travel up from the stomach.
• The enlarged uterus and the growing fetus pressure the stomach, causing it to push up its contents to the GI tract.
• In some cases, heartburn during pregnancy is caused by gallstones.

Symptoms

• A burning sensation in the stomach and chest.
• Bloating, feeling gassy, and feeling full even without eating too much.
• Constant burping.
• Nausea.
• Vomiting.
• Sore throat.
• Coughing.
• Feeling a bitter taste in the mouth.

When does it end?

Bad news! This condition can last throughout your pregnancy, even if you don’t experience it in the first trimester. You will most likely feel heartburn during the second and last trimesters, the good news is that it will most probably go away when you give birth to your baby. You can, however, prevent it from happening and treat it.

Heartburn and the baby’s hair

You must have heard this from your mother or mother-in-law and thought it is one of the old wives’ tales. Recent studies showed that most women who suffered from heartburn while pregnant had babies with hair. Medical research found a link between the hormones that cause fetal hair to grow and heartburn.

Prevention steps

1. Chew your food well and eat slowly.
2. Eat several small meals throughout the day instead of three large meals.
3. Avoid fried and processed foods.
4. Cut back as much as possible on sugary foods.
5. Don’t eat spicy foods.
6. Avoid citrus fruits.
7. Don’t consume soda drinks, lemon juice, and orange juice.
8. Cut back on caffeine consumption.
9. Drink water before or after meals and never during your meal.
10. Stop smoking and drinking alcohol. They are harmful substances, especially for a pregnant woman.
11. Eat while sitting up straight and never while laying down.
12. Don’t eat late at night, or before sleep.
13. Sleep on two or more pillows to have your upper body higher than your lower body to avoid reflux.

Treatment

Home remedies

• Chew sugar-free gum

Try chewing mastic gum, or any sugar-free gum 3o minutes before meals, to reduce heartburn. Chewing gum will increase saliva production, which neutralizes the esophagus, reducing acid reflux.

• Drink milk

You can either drink cold additives-free milk or drink a warm cup of milk with a teaspoon of honey to reduce heartburn during pregnancy.

• Eat almonds

Have a handful of salt, and spice-free almonds after a meal to reduce stomach acids and reflux.

Medication

Talk to your doctor about your symptoms, to get a prescription for a safe and efficient medication. Don’t take antacids without asking your doctor some of them are unsafe during pregnancy. Never take medication based on personal advice and stick to the doctor’s recommendations to maintain your health and the health of your baby.

 

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