Heartburn during pregnancy

Heartburn during pregnancy is one of the most common complaints of women "in an interesting position". Pregnancy is a happy and special time for every woman. It is a time of tenderness, deepening into oneself and growth. Unfortunately, it can be marred by such unpleasant physiological phenomena as nausea, swelling, back pain and heartburn.

Let's look at different aspects of this phenomenon: why it occurs, when it most often occurs, who suffers from heartburn the most, and how to get rid of it. This information will help you avoid spoiling your pregnancy with unpleasant experiences and side effects.

If a woman has never suffered from heartburn before, this does not mean that she will not face this problem during pregnancy. Unfortunately, a very high percentage of pregnant women suffer from heartburn, regardless of whether they have had it before.

What is heartburn? It is a very unpleasant sensation. You have a sudden "fire" in your stomach and in the stomach area, which can rise up and cause very unpleasant sensations. Usually, these sensations occur in people who overeat, eat too spicy food or lead an unhealthy lifestyle. But even with the most correct nutrition, a pregnant woman can experience all the same symptoms of burning and discomfort.

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Causes of Heartburn During Pregnancy

As a rule, the causes of heartburn during pregnancy differ from the causes of heartburn outside this condition. Even if a woman follows a diet, she can suffer from a burning sensation in the stomach area throughout the entire period of bearing a child.

During the first trimester of pregnancy, a woman's body undergoes drastic hormonal changes. They can cause heartburn in a pregnant woman. The burning sensation occurs when acid from the stomach enters the esophagus, which is not adapted to such a "toxic" environment.

These two sections of the digestive tract are separated by a sphincter or valve that prevents food from flowing back. But during pregnancy, the level of the hormone progesterone in a woman's body increases sharply. This hormone has a relaxing effect on all muscles, including the sphincter, and reduces its efficiency.

Therefore, food, acid, and bile can enter the esophagus and cause a sharp burning sensation and discomfort. Another cause of heartburn during pregnancy is poor nutrition. Certain foods increase the risk of food coming back up and acid entering the esophagus.

For example, carbonated drinks can cause burping and have a negative effect on the already relaxed esophageal sphincter. Therefore, it is worth excluding such products from the diet so as not to increase the already significant feeling of discomfort from heartburn.

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What causes heartburn during pregnancy?

Why does heartburn occur more often during pregnancy than in a normal state? There are several reasons. Pregnancy is a big burden on the whole body. In addition, pregnancy causes drastic changes in the whole body of a woman, which affect not only the reproductive organs, but also all other organs and systems of the female body.

It is no secret that a woman goes through tremendous hormonal changes and surges during all phases of pregnancy. These hormonal changes top the list of causes of heartburn during pregnancy.

In addition, natural physiological changes occur in the woman's body. The fetus grows and begins to press on all internal organs and the gastrointestinal tract. There is less and less space left for it, because the child occupies almost the entire abdominal cavity.

Therefore, the stomach is compressed. If the woman overeats, fetal movements or "tightness" in the abdominal cavity can cause food to return from the stomach to the esophagus. This is where the sensation of sharp and even painful burning occurs.

The sphincter cannot withstand the pressure and opens. Undigested food, bile and acid enter the esophagus. This mixture irritates the mucous membrane of the esophagus and heartburn occurs during pregnancy.

Severe heartburn during pregnancy

As a rule, severe heartburn during pregnancy occurs in the second or third trimester. At this time, the fetus is actively growing and compressing the stomach. In addition, high levels of progesterone relax the sphincter between the stomach and the esophagus. The weakened valve more easily passes acid and bile, which irritate the mucous membrane of the esophagus. This is how the feeling of a fire in the stomach occurs.

Severe heartburn during pregnancy can be caused by poor nutrition or overeating. Since there is less room for the stomach in the abdominal cavity, it is recommended to eat small portions and not overeat. It is better to eat several times a day than one large meal.

In addition, there are foods that cause increased acid secretion in the stomach. This can also cause or increase the burning sensation in the abdomen during pregnancy. Such foods should be studied and excluded from the diet for some time. These include carbonated drinks, coffee, some spices, spicy and fatty foods.

Treatment of heartburn during pregnancy

Treatment of heartburn during pregnancy may be necessary to eliminate a strong feeling of discomfort. As is known, during pregnancy it is worth minimizing the use of any pharmacological drugs. Even those that are tested and recommended during pregnancy. Therefore, it is worth starting the treatment of heartburn during pregnancy with a diet.

• The first step is to reduce the amount of food consumed at one sitting. It is better to split portions into several meals. Do not overeat.
• The second step is to find out which foods most often cause heartburn and eliminate them from your diet. Usually, the first on the list of heartburn triggers are carbonated drinks, fatty foods, fried and spicy foods. Eating a lot of sweets can also lead to heartburn.
• The third step is to moderate physical activity. Treatment of heartburn during pregnancy may include smooth movements when walking or doing exercises. It is better not to bend over or squat, as they can provoke heartburn. It is better to sleep on your back, which will also help to avoid burning in the esophagus.
• The fourth step is to supply the body with calcium, which quenches the acid and removes the burning sensation. You can do this by drinking some milk. It is better to drink milk in small portions, but often during the day.
• The fifth step is to consult a doctor. There are now many heartburn medications, such as Rennie. They quickly and effectively relieve the burning sensation. But Rennie has not been tested and approved for use by women during pregnancy, so it can only be used on the recommendation of a doctor. The dosage and frequency of Rennie for heartburn during pregnancy should also be determined by a doctor.