Heartburn during pregnancy: how does it manifest itself, causes of occurrence

Heartburn during pregnancy can appear even if it has never been before. It can even occur in expectant mothers who prepare for this special period in their lives, try to eat a natural diet, avoid soda pop, hot and sour foods, and fried foods. Heartburn is caused by physical and hormonal factors, which often manifest themselves during the period of childbirth.

Signs of heartburn

Behind the sternum, a burning and tingling sensation is felt. It spreads to the neck area. The stomach feels heavy, spasmodic. Sometimes heartburn is accompanied by these additional symptoms:

• An unpleasant bitter-sour taste is present in the mouth near the back of the throat.
• Often there is a desire to cough, a sore throat and larynx.
• Mild difficulty in breathing. Acid exposure hurts the mucous membranes and causes swelling in these areas.
• Belching after eating or when bending over.
• Bloating of the abdomen, increased gas formation in the intestines.

Causes of heartburn

Most often, the abandonment of the contents of the stomach manifests itself an hour after a meal for physical and chemical reasons:

• If you lie down after eating heartburn occurs more often than in the upright position of the body, because in this way the contents of the stomach rise to its upper part. This can provoke the valve to open, or if it is not closed, the contents will pass immediately into the esophagus.
• Fatty, spicy, fried food can provoke heartburn by irritating the surface of the esophagus. Such a diet, if it does not cause heartburn, then it definitely increases the discomfort.
• Physical activity, especially forward bending and twisting during exercise, can lead to heartburn. Doing housecleaning, hand washing, bending over the bathtub, you can also experience these unpleasant symptoms.
• In the first trimester of pregnancy, toxemia causes frequent vomiting, which irritates the mucosa of the esophagus. This causes burning due to the effects of prolonged action of acids on the tissues.

Heartburn is a side effect of the beneficial hormone

Progesterone relaxes the muscles of all organs. This is a natural mechanism that facilitates the feeding of the baby through the placenta and prevents the uterus from contracting. This preserves the fetus and creates the necessary conditions for its development.

Progesterone also relaxes the sphincter, which is located between the esophagus and stomach. Its task is to let water and food into the stomach and close, so that the contents from the next part of the digestive system do not return into the esophagus.

When relaxed, the sphincter does not close enough or may not close at all. It no longer holds the stomach acids and they go up. This is because the stomach becomes more flaccid. Content lingers in it, food processing slows down, which increases sphincter sluggishness.

Physical causes of heartburn in pregnancy

The baby needs to make room for growth, so the uterus gradually increases, pushing all organs upward. This manifests itself after the 20th week of pregnancy.

Strongly enlarged uterus presses on the intestines, lifting them up. Because of this, the stomach is pressed against the diaphragm, circulation in the tissues deteriorates, the obturator sphincter weakens and its function is impaired. Pressure on the stomach can cause its contents to rush down the esophagus, causing a burning sensation.

Unpleasant heartburn can be influenced by one or more factors. Each woman has her own predominant causes of sphincter and stomach irregularities. The doctor can help you determine what causes heartburn.