Heartburn is a painful burning sensation in the esophagus, just below or behind the breastbone. The pain often rises in your chest and may radiate to your neck or throat. You may bring up some of the stomach acid into your mouth; this is known as acid reflux. Heartburn often happens when you lie down, cough, lift something heavy, or strain while passing a stool.
Indigestion is a vague feeling of abdominal discomfort — possibly including belching, a feeling of fullness, bloating and nausea.
Hormones and the pressure of the growing uterus cause indigestion and heartburn. Pregnancy hormones slow down the muscles of the digestive tract, so food tends to move more slowly and digestion is sluggish. This causes many pregnant women to feel bloated.
Progesterone, the hormone associated with back pain and constipation, also relaxes the valve that separates the esophagus from the stomach. This allows food and acid to come back up from the stomach to the esophagus. The food and acid cause the burning feeling of heartburn. As your baby gets bigger, the uterus pushes on the stomach, making heartburn more common in late pregnancy, beginning in the second trimester.
Try these tips to prevent or alleviate heartburn, indigestion and acid reflux:
Call your healthcare provider if your symptoms don't improve after trying these suggestions. Ask your provider about an antacid. Antacids are generally safe to take throughout your pregnancy.
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