Heartburn during Pregnancy
Many women will experience heartburn during pregnancy. Even for women who have never experienced it before, heartburn may occur for the first time while they are pregnant. That burning sensation in the chest and throat, and sour, acidic taste in the mouth, may become an all too familiar sensation for some of them. Why? Heartburn during pregnancy occurs for a number of reasons. Increased levels of hormones in your body while pregnant can soften the ligaments that normally keep the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) tightly closed.
A bout of heartburn is one of the most common occurrences during pregnancy. Though it’s really uncomfortable, heartburn doesn’t have any serious repercussions or negative effects on the development and growth of the fetus. Heartburn, which is another name for indigestion, is basically a burning sensation which rises from the stomach to the throat. Sometimes, it can also be felt around the lower part of the chest. Sometimes you may feel that the food is making a return journey back to your mouth- and there could be a bitter or sour after taste. During pregnancy, nearly 50% of the women experience heartburn.
Heartburn in pregnancy may occur because of changing hormone levels, which can affect the muscles of the digestive tract and how different foods are tolerated. Pregnancy hormones can cause the lower esophageal sphincter (the muscular valve between the stomach and esophagus) to relax, allowing stomach acids to splash back up into the esophagus. In addition, the enlarged uterus can crowd the abdomen, pushing stomach acids upward.
The cause of heartburn during pregnancy is a bit more complicated than in the non-pregnant state. The basic cause–reflux of acid from the stomach into the esophagus–is the same. Similar to the situation with GERD in the non-pregnant state, the lower esophageal sphincter (the muscle at the lower end of the esophagus that normally prevents acid from refluxing) is weak in pregnancy.
Avoid cold drinks with or after meals. Our body needs an optimum temperature of 37 degrees Celsius for digestive enzyme functioning. The temperature of cold soft drinks is much below 37 degrees Celsius. This will dilute the enzymes and strain the digestive system. Food will not be digested. In fact, it will get fermented and cause acidity.
Treating Heartburn during Pregnancy
Medication for heartburn during pregnancy needs to be consulted with your gynecologist before taking any. The best treatment for such an occurrence is to eat smaller amounts of foods during meals, if you are hungry for more; you can eat more food a couple of hours after your meal. Try to sleep with your upper body elevated to avoid reflux and wear non restrictive clothes especially around the stomach area.
