Treating Heartburn During Pregnancy

 
Marietta OB-GYN

With as many pleasant and exciting things that occur during pregnancy, there are also just as many unpleasant and unexpected things that arise. For many women, heartburn is something that plagues them throughout their pregnancy, whether they ever experienced it before or not. Heartburn is caused by stomach acids flowing upward instead of downward. At the end of the throat there is the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) that helps the food that your body digests “stay down.” However, this sphincter muscle often becomes relaxed during pregnancy and can allow the acids from your stomach to burn your esophagus. There is often discomfort in the chest cavity, which is why it was nicknamed “heartburn.”

During pregnancy, a woman’s body creates a hormone called Relaxin that helps the body to prepare for delivery. There are many changes that must occur to allow a woman’s body to become ready for deliver, and the relaxation of ligaments and joints is one of them. While women appreciate relaxin for this, they can also become unhappy with the side effect of heartburn. Relaxin mixed with the increasing pressure on your organs causes some women to experience miserable heartburn for almost nine straight months.

Here are a few ways to help relieve your symptoms of heartburn:

  • Eat small meals, frequently. This gives the stomach less to digest at a time, which will decrease the amount of stomach acids that are produced.
  • Avoid foods known to cause heartburn – spicy foods, chocolate, coffee, acidic foods, carbonated beverages
  • Sleep elevated. This will keep the acids from coming up and passing through the LES.
  • Learn to enjoy smoothies. Liquids are more easily digested than solid foods. By enjoying veggies and fruits in a smoothie, you will ensure that you are meeting your nutritional needs while decreasing your discomfort.
  • Keep antacids close by. Tums are perfectly safe for pregnant women to take when heartburn symptoms arise. However, it is necessary to space out your antacids from your prenatal vitamins by at least one hour as the calcium in antacids can block iron absorption.

At Marietta OB-GYN Affiliates, P.A., we are here for you throughout your entire pregnancy. If you have discomfort related to heartburn, please let us know. Most of the time your symptoms can be managed with over the counter antacids, but in severe cases of heartburn intervention may be necessary. We want your pregnancy to be as enjoyable as possible!

Posted on behalf of Dr. Carlos Alarcon, Marietta OB-GYN Affiliates, P.A.