Treatment Of Heartburn In Pregnancy
Heartburn in pregnancy is a fairly common symptom. Despite having nothing to do with the heart or lungs, they often complain of a burning sensation in the center of the chest.
This symptom usually appears during the second and third trimesters. While it is not a sign of serious problems, it is uncomfortable and painful. Heartburn is also called heartburn.
Why does heartburn occur?
Heartburn, as the name suggests, is a stomach problem. It occurs when digested food passes from the stomach, which contains gastric juice (an acid to aid digestion of food), into the esophagus, the conduit between the mouth and the stomach.
When this happens, there is a burning sensation behind the breastbone or a burning sensation that begins in the stomach and seems to rise. A pregnant woman may notice a bitter taste in her mouth or a sensation of vomit moving up her throat.
Under normal conditions, the food, once swallowed, passes through the esophagus to the stomach. In the lower part of the esophagus there is a circular valve that closes the connection between it and the stomach when we are eating. In this way, the valve prevents stomach acids from backing up up the esophagus.
When we swallow, the valve relaxes to allow food and liquid to flow through. When the patient has heartburn, the valve relaxes when she is not eating so stomach acids can move up the esophagus. Thus, this organ becomes irritated and causes the burning sensation.
Factors that predispose heartburn in pregnancy
There are a number of factors that make the valve relax more easily. All of them are related to food, such as:
- Fried or fatty foods.
- Chocolate.
- Caffeinated drinks.
- Onion, garlic, or spicy foods.
- Some medications
- Eat excessively.
- Lie down after eating.
Hormones: another cause of heartburn
When a woman is pregnant, her body secretes a series of hormones, which are substances that mediate different physiological processes in the body and relax the muscles of the digestive system. This apparatus includes the valve of the esophagus. The hormone most involved in heartburn is progesterone.
For this reason, stomach acids are more likely to move up the esophagus causing this problem. This situation is aggravated when the woman is in a horizontal position. As we have mentioned, heartburn usually appears in the second or third trimester, which is when the uterus begins to press on the stomach.
Treatment of heartburn during pregnancy
Despite being a fairly common symptom and difficult to avoid , there are a number of measures that can help pregnant women to reduce the feeling of discomfort and make the symptoms less intense. Among these measures we can mention:
- Try to eat small meals several times a day. Avoid eating a lot at once, eat a lot of lighter meals.
- Avoid gaining excess weight. Although gaining a few kilos during pregnancy is inevitable and even good, this weight gain should not be exceeded. This can cause, in addition to other problems, pressure on the stomach and promote heartburn.
- Do not lie down right after eating. It is recommended to wait at least 1 hour to lie down or 3 to go to sleep.
- Pregnant women are recommended to drink around 9 glasses of water a day. However, this water intake should be between meals, it is not recommended that they drink while eating because it promotes heartburn.
- Finally, avoid foods that produce acidity such as spicy foods, fried foods or fats, as well as all the foods mentioned in the risk factors.
