Indigestion During Pregnancy: Heartburn And Pain, Causes And Treatment

2024 Author: Rachel Wainwright | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 07:39

Upset stomach during pregnancy

Heartburn during pregnancy

More than half of expectant mothers complain of an unpleasant burning sensation behind the breastbone and an overcrowded stomach. These symptoms are caused by heartburn during pregnancy, triggered by the throwing of acidic gastric juice into the esophagus. The reverse flow of gastric contents is explained by the peculiarities of the physiology of expectant mothers.

Heartburn during pregnancy is provoked by a weakening of the tone of the lower esophageal sphincter. It occurs under the influence of the hormone progesterone, whose level rises significantly in a woman's body during pregnancy.

As a result, the sphincter loosely closes the esophageal cavity, and part of the stomach contents rises, causing discomfort to the expectant mother.

Another provoking factor of heartburn during pregnancy is increased intra-abdominal pressure caused by the large size of the fetus. That is why the bulk of women suffer from heartburn during the third trimester of pregnancy.

Additional factors that provoke heartburn during pregnancy

Pregnancy is a period of checking the general health of a woman. Now the body spends all its resources on carrying a child. In this regard, all chronic diseases are often exacerbated during pregnancy. Including gastrointestinal diseases, whose main symptom, as you know, is heartburn.

The factors that provoke heartburn during pregnancy also include:

• diet errors (overuse of sweet, fatty, spicy or sour foods),
• torso tilts after eating,
• horizontal position on the left side,
• taking certain medications or vitamin preparations.

Heartburn treatment during pregnancy

Heartburn during pregnancy is temporary. It causes significant discomfort to the expectant mother and at the same time is absolutely not dangerous for the child. With the exception of those cases when heartburn during pregnancy is one of the symptoms of a hidden current liver disease or other gastrointestinal pathology.

Therefore, with frequent bouts of heartburn, all pregnant women are advised to consult a gastroenterologist. To clarify the diagnosis, esophagogastroduodenoscopy may be necessary.

To combat heartburn during pregnancy, it is recommended:

• not convey,
• eat fractionally,
• actively eat alkaline foods (cottage cheese, eggs, lean meat, vegetable and butter, sour cream, boiled vegetables, baked fruits),
• to prevent constipation, since intra-abdominal pressure rises during difficult bowel emptying,
• exclude hot drinks, raw cabbage, onions and other foods with coarse fiber from your diet,
• eat at least 3 hours before bedtime,
• sleep with a raised headboard,

In the medical treatment of heartburn during pregnancy, antacids are used: Maalox, Rennie, Fofsfalugel, etc.

The systematic intake of baking soda for heartburn during pregnancy provokes the formation of edema and causes only short-term relief.

Stomach pain during pregnancy

A more serious upset stomach in pregnancy is gastralgia or stomach pain. Discomfort is felt, as a rule, in the fourth left intercostal space. It also calls it the epigastric region.

Pain in the stomach during pregnancy is caused by pathologies of the organ itself, for example, various forms of gastritis, peptic ulcer or stomach polyps.

Possible causes of stomach pain during pregnancy are also:

• binge eating,
• indigestion of food,
• constipation,
• injury,
• allergy,
• emotional stress, etc.

Pain in the stomach during pregnancy against the background of other dyspeptic phenomena: nausea, vomiting, cramps, diarrhea - can be caused by poisoning or rotavirus infection. Sometimes gastralgia is also one of the symptoms of pneumonia, tonsillitis, and other viral or bacterial diseases.

Acute systematic stomach pain during pregnancy is a possible sign of inflammation of appendicitis.

During a painful attack in the stomach during pregnancy, it is recommended to seek medical help as soon as possible. After assessing the nature and intensity of pain, the doctor will refer the patient for examination or prescribe medications to alleviate the condition.

Self-medication during pregnancy is dangerous for the health of mom and baby.

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The information is generalized and provided for informational purposes only. At the first sign of illness, see your doctor. Self-medication is hazardous to health!