How to Manage Heartburn During Pregnancy

What is heartburn?

Heartburn is one of the common symptoms of pregnancy. Also known as acid indigestion, it’s a burning sensation or irritation in your chest that occurs due to acid reflux. 

While its causes are many, you can prevent and relieve heartburn in pregnancy by making some dietary and lifestyle changes. 

Below, we have provided information to help you better manage heartburn in pregnancy.

How common is it to have heartburn in pregnancy?

As mentioned above, heartburn is a common symptom of pregnancy. More than half of the pregnant women experience severe heartburn, especially in the second and third trimesters. 

Your odds of having heartburn in pregnancy increase if:

• You have been pregnant before

• You had heartburn before you got pregnant

Know what it feels like to have heartburn in pregnancy in the section below.

Symptoms of heartburn in pregnancy

If you have heartburn while pregnant, you may experience the following symptoms:

• Burning sensation or pain in your chest, especially after having food and at night

• A feeling of bloatedness, fullness, or heaviness

• Pain that gets worse on bending over or lying down

• Frequent burping or belching 

• Bitter, sour, or acidic taste in the mouth

• Sore throat or cough 

• Regurgitation and a feeling of being sick

Causes of heartburn in pregnancy

Some of the causes of heartburn in pregnancy are:

• Changing hormone levels: The hormonal changes during pregnancy affect how you digest and react to various foods. The hormones slow down your digestive system by weakening the digestive tract muscles. As a result, food moves slower down your system, leading to bloating and heartburn in pregnancy. 

• Relaxed esophageal sphincter: The pregnancy hormone, progesterone, can relax the lower esophageal sphincter. When this happens, stomach acid moves up into the esophagus, causing heartburn in pregnancy. 

• Enlarged uterus: As the pregnancy progresses, your baby grows bigger along with your uterus. Your enlarged uterus then crowds your stomach and other organs and pushes stomach acid upward into your esophagus, resulting in acid reflux and heartburn. 

• Gallstones: While rare, gallstones could also cause heartburn in pregnancy.

Tips to prevent heartburn in pregnancy

Here are some tips to help ease your heartburn in pregnancy without affecting your baby’s growth:

• Eat small meals throughout the day

• Drink fluids between and not with meals

• Avoid foods and drinks that can cause heartburn, such as:

  • Fatty, fried, and spicy foods

  • Citrus fruits and juices

  • Caffeine and carbonated drinks

  • Smoking (could also affect fetal health)

  • Alcohol

• Sit up straight while having food and eat slowly  

• Avoid consuming any food or drink 3 hours before bedtime 

• Avoid lying down immediately after meals

• Use pillows to prop up your head when you go to sleep to reduce acid reflux

• Consult your Doctor about heartburn medicines that are safe to take during pregnancy

• Wear loose clothes as tight-fitting garments can increase the pressure on your stomach and abdomen, causing heartburn

• Follow a high-fiber diet to prevent constipation

Treatment of heartburn in pregnancy

While heartburn usually goes away after childbirth, you don’t have to suffer through it during your pregnancy. Below are some natural remedies and over-the-counter medications that you can take to get relief from heartburn during pregnancy. 

Natural remedies 

Some home remedies that provide relief from heartburn in pregnancy are:

• Eating yogurt or drinking some milk

• Eating honey as is or drinking honey-sweetened warm milk

• Adding ginger to your food or drinking ginger tea

Over-the-counter medications 

Some drugs that offer relief from heartburn in pregnancy are:

• Antacids: Liquid antacids that coat the esophagus provide more relief from heartburn in pregnancy. These are usually calcium carbonate or magnesium hydroxide based and are available over the counter. 

• H2 blockers. Available over the counter and by prescription, these drugs block the chemical signals that trigger stomach acid production. 

• Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs): Like H2 blockers, these medications help reduce stomach acid production and are available both over the counter and by prescription.

Note: Consult your doctor before taking any medication to determine if it is safe for consumption by pregnant women.

In case you’re taking iron supplements, check with your Doctor before taking H2 blockers or PPIs as they can reduce the efficacy of the supplements.

When to See a Doctor

If you have persistent heartburn during pregnancy, see your doctor for a treatment that is pregnancy-safe. 

You should consult your doctor if:

• Heartburn keeps you up/wakes you up at night

• Heartburn happens more than twice a week

• You have a problem swallowing

• You experience persistent nausea or vomiting

• You spit up blood or your stool is black 

• You’re losing weight because of reduced appetite or trouble eating 

• Heartburn continues even after using over-the-counter medications

Also, if you experience severe pain or pressure in your chest that feels like heartburn, but is accompanied by other symptoms such as difficulty in breathing or pain in your arm or jaw, seeks emergency medical support. 

If you have any more questions or concerns about heartburn during pregnancy, feel free to ask our doctors for advice.