Feeling the burn? No one knows heartburn quite like a pregnant woman. What's more, you may well experience pregnancy heartburn discomfort during all three trimesters. Show
Rest assured that you're not alone. Nearly half of expectant moms have heartburn during pregnancy.[1] Here's more about pregnancy heartburn and what you can do about it. When does heartburn generally start during pregnancy?For many women, heartburn starts in the first trimester, beginning around month two, and is a pregnancy symptom that lasts throughout the nine months. What causes heartburn during pregnancy?Early in pregnancy, your body produces large amounts of the hormones progesterone and relaxin, which tend to relax smooth muscle tissues throughout your body, including those in your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. As a result, food sometimes moves more slowly through your system, resulting in indigestion issues of all kinds, from that bloated, gassy feeling to heartburn. This may be uncomfortable for you, but it's actually beneficial for your baby. This digestive slowdown allows for better absorption of nutrients into your bloodstream and subsequently through the placenta and to your baby. Heartburn occurs when the ring of muscle that separates the esophagus from the stomach relaxes (like all the muscles in the GI tract), allowing food and harsh digestive juices to back up from the stomach to the esophagus.[2] These stomach acids irritate the sensitive esophageal lining, causing a burning sensation right around where the heart is located; thus the term heartburn, though the problem has nothing to do with your heart. How do you treat heartburn during pregnancy?There are several ways to control and treat heartburn during pregnancy. And with so many options — and so much time — you'll probably try them all: Continue Reading Below Read This Next
What medications can I take for heartburn during pregnancy?Keep a supply of Tums, Maalox or Mylanta at popping distance: In addition to helping curb the burn, they'll also give you a healthy dose of calcium while they ease your discomfort.[3] For all of these choices, be sure to check with your practitioner for the right dosage. Avoid other heartburn medications during pregnancy unless they're prescribed by your doctor. However, if your heartburn is persistent, your doctor may suggest that you try an over-the-counter heartburn medicine that controls acid production, like proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) or H2 blockers. They're generally considered safe during pregnancy for women whose symptoms are severe and don't respond to antacids and other lifestyle changes, but you'll want to get the okay first from your practitioner. Can I prevent heartburn during pregnancy?The chances of having a completely heartburn-free pregnancy are slim to none. The good news is that pregnancy-induced indigestion is also nothing to worry about. In the meantime, there are plenty of preventive measures and soothing strategies you can try for pregnancy heartburn, including:
When can I expect the heartburn to end during pregnancy?Unfortunately, heartburn is a symptom you're likely to experience throughout your entire pregnancy if you have it at all. In fact, even if you escaped indigestion early on in your pregnancy, there's a good chance you'll have a surge starting around the second or third trimesters, when your uterus takes over your abdominal cavity and forces your stomach upwards. Fortunately, the burn should clear up as soon as you give birth. Pregnancy and GERDIf you had gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) before pregnancy, heartburn is nothing new — but treating it during pregnancy might be. Now that you're expecting, talk to your practitioner about whether the prescription meds you're taking are still okay now that you're pregnant. Many of the tips for fighting heartburn can also help with your reflux. And if heartburn is new to you since pregnancy and occurs more than twice a week, or if you haven't found relief after taking over-the-counter medications for more than two weeks, be sure to talk to your doctor. You may have developed GERD, which requires specific lifestyle changes and medication. Does heartburn during pregnancy mean my baby will be born with hair?Suffering from severe heartburn? You may want to stock up on baby shampoo. Research has backed up the superstition that, on average, the more heartburn you have during pregnancy, the more likely your baby will be born with a full head of hair. Implausible as it sounds, it seems that the hormones responsible for heartburn are the same ones that cause fetal hair to sprout. From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You're Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy. Was this article helpful? What does lots of heartburn during pregnancy mean?Heartburn is common during pregnancy. Pregnancy hormones can make the valve at the entrance to the stomach relax so that it doesn't close as it should. This lets acidic stomach contents move up into the esophagus, a condition known as gastroesophageal reflux (GER), or acid reflux.
What soothes heartburn while pregnant?How do I treat heartburn during pregnancy?. Dip into some yogurt. ... . Drink milk with honey. ... . Snack on almonds. ... . Eat pineapple or papaya. ... . Try a little ginger. ... . Chew sugar-free gum. ... . Take (doctor-approved) medication.. When should I be worried about heartburn during pregnancy?Heartburn is common in adults – especially during pregnancy. While some research suggests women who have moderate heartburn during pregnancy give birth to babies with fuller heads of hair, having symptoms more than twice a week might be a sign of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or recurrent heartburn.
Does heartburn in pregnancy affect baby?Back in 2006, a study published in the journal Birth did find a correlation between a woman's degree of heartburn during pregnancy and how much hair her newborn had, but there are a couple of reasons to take this with a grain of salt (but just a grain, since too much salt can trigger heartburn):
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