Heartburn During Pregnancy

Cause Of Heartburn During Pregnancy

Many women experience heartburn during pregnancy. This is because the placenta produces progesterone which loosens the muscle that separates the esophagus from the stomach. Thus, when this muscle relaxes, the acids in the stomach seep backwards into the esophagus and irritate the sensitive esophageal lining, causing the heartburn.

Furthermore, as the pregnancy progresses, the uterus enlarges, pushing the stomach up against the diaphragm. This squeezes the stomach contents and moves them up the esophagus. This can lead to acid reflux.

Please consult your doctor if you wish to use over-the-counter medicines to treat heartburn.

Food that trigger heartburn

Citrus Fruits

Citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruits and tomatoes can cause the burning sensation after meals. This is because citrus fruits can increase acid production in the stomach, thus causing heartburn.

Coffee and Chocolate

Caffeine may also cause acid reflux. When your caffeine intake is too high, the muscle that connects the stomach to the esophagus is relaxed. When this happens, an opening is created for the stomach acid to flow up into your esophagus, causing acid reflux.

Fried, greasy, and fatty foods

Fried, greasy, and fatty foods can cause heartburn and lead to acid reflux because they take longer to digest, preventing the lower esophageal sphincter from fully tightening. This creates an opening for stomach acids to flow upward. Furthermore, since greasy and heavier foods are also harder to digest, the stomach empties more slowly, which may cause heartburn.

Preventing Heartburn During Pregnancy

You can try the following tips during your pregnancy to prevent heartburn.

1. Eat small meals more frequently. Eating small meals can also help to prevent other discomforts during pregnancy.

2. Drink less while eating. Drinking a large amount of fluid can increase the risk of heartburn. Instead, you can drink water or other fluids in between meals.

3. Avoid taking acidic, spicy, fried, fatty foods or foods with caffeine. These may cause heartburn.

This is a more detailed list of foods you should avoid:

• Alcohol, particularly red wine
• Black pepper, garlic, raw onions and other spicy foods
• Chocolate
• Citrus fruits and products, such as oranges and orange juice
• Coffee and caffeinated drinks, including tea and soda
• Peppermint
• Tomatoes

4. Sit upright while you are eating and stay that way for one hour or two. This can prevent the acid from flowing up the esophagus and causing heartburn.

5. Eat slowly by chewing on your food more. Chewing more not only makes it easier for your stomach to digest the food, it also helps to induce the secretion of saliva that can help to neutralize the acid in the esophagus and therefore preventing heartburn.

6. Wear loose clothes. Wearing tight clothes will worsen the acid reflux during pregnancy.

7. Do not lie down immediately after a meal. The acid in your stomach may easily seep backwards into esophagus when you lie down after a meal.

8. Resting on several pillows stacked together when you go to sleep may also help to prevent acid reflux and heartburn at night.

9. Try taking ginger. Not only do ginger ale and ginger candies help to relieve morning sickness, many women also find it helpful to combat heartburn during pregnancy.

10. Chew gum after eating. The act of chewing stimulates your salivary glands to produce saliva that can help to neutralize the acids in the stomach.