Heartburn is a burning sensation that often extends from the bottom of the breastbone to the lower throat. It's caused by some of the hormonal and physical changes in your body.
During pregnancy, the placenta produces the hormone progesterone, which relaxes the smooth muscles of the uterus. This hormone also relaxes the valve that separates the esophagus from the stomach, allowing gastric acids to seep back up, which causes that unpleasant burning sensation.
Many women start experiencing heartburn and other gastrointestinal discomforts in the second half of pregnancy. Unfortunately, it usually comes and goes until your baby is born.
To avoid heartburn while pregnant, avoid eating foods that cause heartburn, eat several small meals a day instead of three large meals and take antacids to relieve the symptoms.
Antacids are generally considered perfectly safe during pregnancy, but check with your doctor to make sure you aren’t using them excessively, and to make sure the antacids you’re using don’t contain excessive amounts of sodium, which can cause fluid retention in your body’s tissues.
Again, lifestyle and diet changes are the first method of treatment. In addition to the changes in diet described above, try to make it a habit to wait an hour after you’ve eaten before you lie down. If the problem is severe enough, your doctor may consider acid suppressants such as ranitidine or omeprazole.
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