Heartburn during pregnancy is very common, varying in intensity from being only mild to very uncomfortable. Around 30-50 per cent of pregnant women will experience pregnancy heartburn, which tends to become worse as the due date becomes closer.
Generally, heartburn features more during the second and third trimesters as the uterus gets larger. Women who are older, who’ve had a baby before and who’ve experienced pre-pregnancy heartburn are more at risk of having pregnancy heartburn. Gaining a lot of weight during pregnancy also means it is more likely.
Some women experience just mild discomfort after some meals and others can feel an intense burning sensation in their upper chest.
The best way to get rid of heartburn when pregnant, you ask? First, you should know that pregnancy heartburn can often be managed by a few simple strategies and although it may not go away completely, the symptoms can be reduced.
Call an ambulance if you have chest pain, shortness of breath, pain radiating down your arm, in your jaw or any other worrying symptoms.
Acid reflux and heartburn are common during pregnancy. What is the best way to get rid of heartburn when pregnant? | Image source: iStock
What Is Heartburn?
Despite its name, true heartburn does not have anything to do with the heart but everything to do with the stomach. And because both of these organs are close together, heartburn can feel as if there’s something also going on with the heart.
Heartburn vs Acid Reflux vs GERD
Many people get confused by the terms heartburn and acid reflux. Are they one and the same?
Acid reflux is what happens when food is not digested well and the stomach acid backs up into the oesophagus irritating the tissue. Heartburn is a common symptom of acid reflux.
Heartburn can be described as a burning sensation behind the sternum (breastbone). Sometimes reflux happens at the same time – where the acidic stomach contents come up the oesophagus (food pipe) and burn the lining. Reflux feels like a burning sensation at the back of the throat, often causing an acidic, bitter taste in the mouth.
Meanwhile, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease or GERD is a more chronic, severe form of acid reflux. It happens when the closure in your lower oesophagus—which is located near the stomach—becomes weak or relaxes when it should not.
Both acid reflux and GERD cause heartburn. If you find that your experiencing heartburn for more than two times in a week, then your doctor might diagnose you with GERD.
What Causes Pregnancy Heartburn?
Blame those pregnancy hormones, again, specifically progesterone. Although hormones play an important role in relaxing the muscles and ligaments of the pelvic floor to help with childbirth, the effect of the hormones is not limited.
During the first trimester, the muscles in your oesophagus push food more slowly into the stomach and your stomach takes longer to empty. The valve at the top of the stomach also becomes more relaxed, allowing the stomach contents to escape and backflow into the oesophagus. Progesterone also slows down digestion, so the stomach does not empty as quickly.
The lining of the stomach is designed to cope with the acid and digestive juices, however, the food pipe is not. This is what causes the sense of burning, indigestion and discomfort which are all common symptoms of heartburn.
Another cause of heartburn is the size of the uterus causes increased pressure in the mother’s abdomen, so her stomach doesn’t have as much room to expand. During the third trimester, your growing baby can push your stomach out of its normal position, leading to heartburn.
Heartburn can feel awful. | Image source: Stock
Symptoms of Heartburn and Acid Reflux
Aside from the burning sensation behind the sternum, the following are some symptoms of acid reflux in pregnancy:
- A warm or acidic taste at the back of the throat
- Sore throat
- Upset stomach (dyspepsia)
- Abdominal pain or discomfort
- Nausea, a feeling of fullness
- Bloating
- Feeling tightness in the throat
- It may feel difficult to swallow, or you may feel like you have food stuck in your throat.
Excessive Saliva During Pregnancy
One of the common symptoms that pregnant women report especially during the first trimester is the saliva build-up in their mouths. Excessive saliva or ptyalism gravidarum is one of those strange and unwanted pregnancy symptoms some mums-to-be experience.
What’s the cause? Just like other first trimester symptoms, the culprit is your hormones.
What has it got to do with heartburn or acid reflux, you ask? Well, despite the unpleasant feeling of too much drool, experts believe that excessive saliva is the body’s way of protecting your mouth, teeth and throat from the corrosive effects of stomach acid.
And if acid reflux and heartburn isn’t enough, the pool of saliva in your mouth can add to your queasiness and increase the chances that you’ll be turned off by your next meal, leading to food aversion.
There is no surefire way to get rid of the excess saliva in your mouth, but you can manage it by chewing on ice, using a minty mouthwash and brushing your teeth often to remove the icky taste and feel.
The Best Way to Get Rid of Heartburn When Pregnant
You may not be able to prevent or relieve heartburn altogether, but with a few tweaks to your diet and lifestyle, you should be able to manage its severity.
- Try to eat smaller meals, more often, than large infrequent meals.
- Avoid spicy, oily, fatty or strong flavoured foods. Chill and curry-based foods are common culprits.
- Avoid eating late at night and aim for a two-hour (minimum) window of time between your last meal and when you go to bed.
- Try not to lie flat, or go to sleep straight after eating. Sit upright so gravity helps your food to stay down.
- Avoid smoking, drinking alcohol or taking medications which may increase heartburn symptoms e.g. anticholinergics (drugs which block the action of nerve impulses).
- Avoid eating acidic type foods. Tomatoes and citrus fruits can cause heartburn to be worse.
- Cut back or cut out caffeine. Coffee, tea, chocolate and energy drinks are all sources.
- Wear loose, comfortable clothes which don’t restrict your tummy. Elasticized pants are a good option. And make sure your maternity bras aren’t cutting into your skin underneath and between your breasts.
- Sleep on a couple of pillows if you can. Some women find that elevating the head of the bed by 10-15 cm makes a big difference.
- Experiment with the best timing of drinking fluids. Many women find that drinking water with meals causes them to feel uncomfortably full.
- Drinking between meals may be a better option.
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Safe Medications for Heartburn in Pregnancy
- Antacids are generally effective in neutralising the stomach acid and relieving heartburn symptoms. They come in tablet form, including chewable options as well as liquid. Speak with your maternity care provider and/or pharmacist about medication which is safe for you to take during pregnancy.
- Eating a few almonds can be effective for some women.
- Some women find that drinking milk or eating yoghurt is helpful in relieving heartburn.
Unfortunately, heartburn is one of those unwanted symptoms that can stay for the duration of your pregnancy. But you don’t have to suffer for the whole 9 months. Some modifications in your diet and lifestyle can do wonders to relieve the symptoms of heartburn and acid reflux.
Do not hesitate to contact your doctor if you have heartburn that often wakes you up at night, returns as soon as your antacid wears off, or creates other symptoms (such as difficulty swallowing, coughing, weight loss, or black stools. Moreover, if you’re having chest pains, don’t pass it off as heartburn and seek medical attention right away.
Jane Barry has qualifications in general, paediatric, immunisation, midwifery and child health nursing. She holds a Bachelor Degree in Applied Science (Nursing) and has almost 30 years specialist experience in child health nursing. She is a member of a number of professionally affiliated organisations including AHPRA, The Australasian Medical Writer’s Association, Health Writer Hub and Australian College of Children and Young People’s Nurses.
This article was first published in KidSpot and republished on theAsianparent with permission.
Updates by Camille Eusebio
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