Heartburn during pregnancy

Heartburn during pregnancy is one of the frequent complaints of women "in an interesting situation." Pregnancy is a happy and special time for every woman. It is a time of tenderness, deepening in oneself and growth. Unfortunately, such unpleasant physiological phenomena as nausea, puffiness, back pain and heartburn can cloud this.

Consider different aspects of this phenomenon: why it occurs, when it often happens, who most suffer from heartburn and how to get rid of it. This information will help not to cloud the pregnancy untidy experiences and side effects.

If until now a woman has never suffered from heartburn, this does not mean that she will not face this trouble during pregnancy. Unfortunately, a very high percentage of pregnant women suffer from heartburn, regardless of whether they have experienced this before.

What is heartburn? This is a very unpleasant sensation. You have a sudden "fire" in the abdomen and in the area of the stomach, which can rise up and cause very unpleasant sensations. Usually, these feelings occur in people who overeat, eat too spicy food or lead an incorrect lifestyle. But even with the most proper nutrition, a pregnant woman may have all the same symptoms of burning and discomfort.

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Causes of heartburn during pregnancy

As a rule, the causes of heartburn during pregnancy differ from the causes of heartburn beyond this state. Even with a diet, a woman may suffer from burning sensation in the stomach during the entire period of carrying the child.

In the first trimester of pregnancy in the body of a woman there are sharp hormonal changes. They can cause heartburn in a pregnant woman. A burning sensation occurs when acid from the stomach enters the esophagus, which is not adapted to such a "poisonous" environment.

These two parts of the digestive tract are disconnected by the sphincter or valve, which prevents the food from going back. But during pregnancy, the body of a woman dramatically increases the level of the hormone progesterone. This hormone acts relaxing on all muscles, including the sphincter and reduces the effectiveness of its work.

Therefore, food, acid and bile can get into the esophagus and cause a sharp burning sensation and discomfort. Another reason for heartburn during pregnancy is malnutrition. Some foods increase the risk of food return and acid entering the esophagus.

For example, soda may cause belching and poorly affect the already relaxed esophageal sphincter. Therefore, it is necessary to exclude such products from the diet, so as not to increase the already substantial feeling of discomfort from heartburn.

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Why does heartburn occur during pregnancy?

Why is heartburn during pregnancy more likely than in normal condition? There are several reasons for this. Pregnancy is a big burden on the entire body. In addition, pregnancy causes abrupt changes in the entire body of a woman, which affects not only the genital organs, but also all other organs and systems of the female body.

It's no secret that a woman goes through enormous hormonal changes and jumps in all phases of pregnancy. These hormonal changes top the list of causes of heartburn during pregnancy.

In addition, in the body of a woman there are also natural physiological changes. The fetus grows and begins to put pressure on all internal organs and the gastrointestinal tract. For him, there is less and less space, because the child occupies almost the entire abdominal cavity.

Therefore, the stomach is squeezed. If the woman is overeating, the fetal movements or "tightness" in the abdominal cavity can cause the food to return back from the stomach to the esophagus. It is there that there is a sharp and even painful burning sensation.

The sphincter does not withstand pressure and opens. In the esophagus is not digested food, bile and acid. This mixture irritates the mucosa of the esophagus and happens to heartburn during pregnancy.

Severe heartburn during pregnancy

As a rule, severe heartburn during pregnancy occurs in the second or third trimesters. At this time, the fetus is actively growing and squeezing the stomach. In addition, a high level of progesterone relaxes the sphincter between the stomach and esophagus. The weakened valve is easier to pass acid and bile, which irritate the mucosa of the esophagus. So there is a feeling of a fire in the stomach.

Severe heartburn during pregnancy can occur due to malnutrition or overeating. Since there is less room for the stomach in the abdominal cavity, it is recommended to eat in small portions and not overeat. It is better to eat several times a day than once and abundantly.

In addition, there are foods that cause increased acid secretion in the stomach. This also can cause or enhance a burning sensation in the abdomen during pregnancy. Such foods need to be learned and excluded from the diet for a while. These include carbonated drinks, coffee, some spices, spicy and fatty foods.

Treatment of heartburn during pregnancy

Treatment of heartburn during pregnancy may be necessary to exclude a strong feeling of discomfort. As you know, during pregnancy, it is necessary to minimize the use of any pharmacological drugs. Even those that are tested and recommended during pregnancy. Therefore, to start treatment for heartburn during pregnancy is a diet.

• The first step is to reduce the amount of food absorbed in one sitting. Portions are better for crushing and breaking into several meals. Do not overeat.
• The second step is to find out which products most often cause heartburn and exclude them from the diet. Usually, the first in the list of provocateurs of heartburn are carbonated drinks, fatty foods, fried and spicy food. Absorption of a large number of sweets can also lead to heartburn.
• The third step is to moderate physical activity. Treating heartburn during pregnancy can include smooth movements when walking or charging. It is better not to do inclines and squats, they can trigger heartburn. Sleep better on the back, which also helps to avoid burning in the esophagus.
• The fourth step is to supply the body with calcium, which extinguishes acid and removes burning sensation. You can do this by drinking a little milk. Drink milk better in small portions, but often throughout the day.
• The fifth step is to seek medical advice. Now there are many preparations for heartburn, such as Rennie. They quickly and effectively extinguish the burning sensation. But Rennie was not tested and approved for use by women during pregnancy, so it can only be applied on the advice of a doctor. The dosage and frequency of Rennie's use of heartburn during pregnancy should also be determined by the doctor.