Severe heartburn during pregnancy. What to do if very severe heartburn during pregnancy. Characteristics of antacids

04.04.2019

Many expectant mothers are concerned about the question: heartburn during pregnancy, what to do in such situations? According to statistics, every 2nd pregnant woman sooner or later has to deal with heartburn. Much more often, ladies suffer from this unpleasant phenomenon after the 20th week of gestation. It persists, as a rule, until the birth itself.

Heartburn refers to the feeling severe burning sensation and heat in the area behind the sternum that occurs after eating; the reason for this is the release of the acidic contents of the stomach back into the esophagus. Most often, this unpleasant sensation appears in the evening. But it is not uncommon for heartburn to occur throughout the day.

Causes of heartburn in pregnant women

Doctors identify 2 main factors that can cause a burning sensation in the stomach in expectant mothers:

If heartburn appeared on early stages pregnancy, then to blame in this case hormonal changes in a woman's body. As you know, the stomach and esophagus are separated by a sphincter, which prevents food from returning back. During the period of bearing a child in the body of a woman, the level of progesterone rises. The hormone relaxes all smooth muscles, and the sphincter is no exception. This causes a small amount of food to pass from the stomach back into the esophagus. It is generally accepted that such a burning sensation is one of the signs early toxicosis in pregnant women. Given unpleasant phenomenon usually goes away by 14 weeks.
For more later dates pregnancy, heartburn in expectant mothers appears due to the fact that the uterus greatly increases in size and begins to press and lift the stomach. This, in turn, causes the remnants of food to be thrown into the esophagus. It should be noted that these unpleasant symptoms do not bring any serious harm to either the mother or the baby. Heartburn, which occurs in pregnant women in the later stages, disappears immediately after the birth of the child.

Factors that can increase heartburn:

too much food before bed. In no case should you lean on food 3 hours before going to bed;
eating foods that cause pleasant sensations. These products will be described below;
Few people know, but wearing tight clothes too often can exacerbate heartburn. Expectant mothers should wear as little as possible things that strongly tighten the abdomen;
taking antispasmodics. These drugs include No-shpa and Papavarin. Such funds have a relaxing effect on the sphincter, which contributes to the appearance of an unpleasant burning sensation. It should be noted that the same action has such useful herb like mint. A large number of mint is also contraindicated for expectant mothers.

How to get rid of heartburn during the period of bearing a baby without medication?

There are a number of measures that pregnant ladies should follow in order to get rid of burning sensation. In milder cases, experts advise women to adhere to certain diet food and change your lifestyle. First of all, you should abandon the products that lead to an even stronger relaxation of the sphincter. Such foods include chocolate products, fatty foods, stewed cabbage, garlic, sour apples, bananas, and coffee. Many ladies mistakenly believe that you can get rid of heartburn with the help of baking soda. In fact, this product is able to relieve discomfort, but at a very short term. However, very soon heartburn will return with renewed vigor and bring much more discomfort. You need to eat often, but in small portions.

As practice shows, heartburn in most cases appears in the first hours after eating. That is why it is advisable not to go to bed on a full stomach. Better to take a walk fresh air and then lay down. Experts recommend lifting your head during sleep. You can use another pillow. The thing is that the aforementioned unpleasant symptoms occur, as a rule, in a supine position.

Treating heartburn with medication

If a pregnant woman has severe heartburn, then in this case you can get rid of unpleasant feelings with the help of various medicines. Only a qualified doctor can prescribe such drugs. The most commonly prescribed drugs are antacids. The most popular of these drugs is Rennie. Take this medicine no more than 11 tablets per day 45 minutes after eating. This dose is absolutely safe.

At 2-3 months of bearing a baby, doctors can prescribe drugs such as Omeprazole and Ranitidine to a woman. If heartburn does not go away even after strong medications, then the doctor may prescribe an EGD procedure. This procedure will show if there are any serious changes in the lining of the stomach and esophagus.

Home remedies for heartburn for expectant mothers

For those who are interested in the question "heartburn during pregnancy: what to do?", You should pay attention to effective folk recipes. The main thing is that all the means used are safe for mother and child.

During an attack of heartburn, you can chew a little raw carrots, nuts or oatmeal. After a fairly short period of time, the discomfort will pass.

You can soothe the esophageal mucosa with freshly squeezed potato juice, non-acidic jelly, or a few sips of regular milk. Has proven to be excellent following method treatment: for 10 days every morning on an empty stomach, you should drink 1 glass of potato juice. After that, you should lie down for 30 minutes and you can have breakfast. After 10 days, you need to take a break for 10 days, and then resume the course. Such treatment should last at least 2 months.

Pregnant women can get rid of heartburn by putting a small pinch of salt in their mouth. 1 gr. product will be sufficient. The thing is that during the swallowing of salty saliva, acidic enzymes begin to be released, which eliminate heartburn.

In this unpleasant situation you can chew some ginger root or just place a small amount of this root vegetable on the tip of the tongue.

You can cook at home effective decoction from the common centaury. 10 gr. plants should be poured with 200 ml of boiling water. The product should be infused for about 2-3 hours. Ready broth should be taken orally 1 spoon 4 times a day.

A decoction of common heather will also help get rid of heartburn. 15 gr. herbs should be poured with 500 ml of water. The agent must be boiled for no more than 3 minutes. The liquid should be infused for 60 minutes. The decoction should be consumed 3 times a day, 1 cup.

You can cook delicious healthy tea. Are very popular herbal teas. St. John's wort, sweet clover and chamomile should be brewed with boiling water and left to infuse the liquid for several minutes. Herbal tea can be drunk 2-3 times a day.

Not bad helps to cope with heartburn decoction of plantain and flax seeds. 1 spoonful of plants should be poured with 500 ml of boiling water and left to infuse for 60 minutes. Ready broth should be filtered and taken orally. The only negative of this drink is its not very pleasant taste. And as you know, expectant mothers are quite difficult to please.

Very effective remedy from this problem - tincture of wormwood. 1/3 tablespoon of this plant should be poured into ½ cup of boiling water. The remedy is infused for 2 days. Ready liquid can be drunk both warm and cold, in small sips.

Before using any home remedy heartburn, pregnant women should definitely consult a doctor.

This will help to avoid various complications which can harm the health of mother and baby. Be healthy!

According to statistics, about three-quarters of all pregnant women experience very severe heartburn when carrying a child.

Why is there so much heartburn during pregnancy?

Around the second trimester of pregnancy, a woman begins to feel a very strong burning sensation and discomfort in the area. chest. In the following weeks, this feeling is comparatively relieved and most often completely disappears after childbirth. This is even related to some folk omens- they say that this happens because the child's hair grows at this time, although naturally this phenomenon has nothing to do with the real causes of heartburn.

Severe heartburn can appear not only in the second half of pregnancy, but also in its earlier periods, representing nothing more than manifestations of toxicosis that has begun. Without a reason similar phenomenon cannot manifest itself, since acidity rises due to diseases gastrointestinal tract or eating poor-quality or irritating food. This phenomenon should not be left without due attention, it is necessary to take appropriate measures to eliminate it.

Causes of severe heartburn during gestation

Heartburn is even included in the symptoms of pregnancy due to the fact that it is observed in enough a large number women. The thing is that under the influence of this state in female body there are significant changes affecting the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Heartburn in combination with belching, constipation, bloating, nausea cause a lot of inconvenience to a pregnant woman, in the truest sense of the word, poisoning her existence. The causes of heartburn during pregnancy can be very different. It can be caused by excessively fried, spicy and salty foods. In addition, the work of the gastrointestinal tract is influenced by the transferred stresses, experiences and nervous shocks. You should not be very worried about this, because during pregnancy it is quite normal condition. Severe heartburn during pregnancy can occur as a result of eating expired foods, as well as overeating. It can be caused by carbonated drinks, alcohol, coffee and strong tea. Severe heartburn during pregnancy can cause even ordinary oranges.

In addition to dietary factors, severe heartburn during pregnancy can result from changes in hormonal background that appear during pregnancy. In the blood, the level of the hormone progesterone increases, which affects the preservation of the fetus, as well as chorionic gonadotropin. These hormones are characterized by a diverse effect on the body of a pregnant woman, one of the manifestations of which is a relaxing effect on the smooth muscles of the gastrointestinal tract. As a result, the contents of the stomach are thrown into the esophagus and heartburn occurs.

After the sixteenth week of pregnancy, severe heartburn may occur due to the enlarged uterus. When trying to hide the pregnancy, heartburn delivers even more discomfort.

Even more severe heartburn is observed starting from 36-38 weeks of pregnancy and up to the moment when the baby's head, falling down, is pressed against the entrance to the small pelvis. In addition to the uterus, which has increased in size, the occurrence of heartburn is affected by the failure of the sphincter, which closes the passage from the esophagus to the stomach. When the uterus is raised, it is pushed back internal organs and compression of the diaphragm, which contributes to the formation of shortness of breath and is the cause of heartburn.

Severe heartburn, observed in the third trimester of pregnancy and stopping before the birth itself, is due to lowering of the abdomen and a decrease in progesterone levels. It becomes easier to breathe before the baby is in the starting position just before birth, while reducing gastrointestinal discomfort. True, heartburn during this period is replaced by discomfort from frequent urination and increased constipation.

Heartburn during pregnancy is natural, although not very pleasant, physiological phenomenon caused by an excess of the hormone progesterone in the body of a woman. You have to put up with heartburn almost until the very birth of the child, or, in any case, early dates pregnancy.

To alleviate the condition of a woman during pregnancy, you should eat in small portions, do not overeat, chew food thoroughly, slowly. This is due to the fact that food begins to be digested even while it is in the oral cavity and at the time when it enters the stomach, it will be able to leave it faster. This reduces the possibility of heartburn. However, fasting during pregnancy should also not be. After finishing eating, you should not go to bed for at least two hours. When sleeping, place a pillow under your head. You should not smoke, drink coffee and soda during pregnancy. In addition, it is necessary to exclude from the diet all fried, spicy, fatty foods, chocolate and fresh pastries. All of the above products contribute to irritation of the gastric mucosa, after eating them, the amount of hydrochloric acid released in the body increases. It is best to eat more fresh vegetables and fruits.

Preparations

Medications designed to combat heartburn are called antacids and are also designed to suppress the formation of hydrochloric acid in the body. During pregnancy, you can take only those drugs that are not absorbed. These include Maalox, Almagel, Rennie. The last drug is preferable, in view of the fact that it helps to loosen the stool.

Additional information about medications indicated for pregnant women:

The last two remedies should be taken after consulting a doctor. Other drugs not described that contribute to constipation are prohibited. Bismuth-based preparations should not be taken by pregnant women.

Folk remedies

Well helps against heartburn during pregnancy infusion of herbs that have an enveloping effect. Such infusions can be drunk as tea. Nm includes infusions based on yarrow, chamomile, St. John's wort, mint, dill, plantain, yarrow. With heartburn, you can eat in small quantities seeds and grains of oats. Fresh carrots contribute to the removal of discomfort. Milk helps with heartburn, but not everyone can drink it, because it can increase flatulence and the child will not be particularly pleased. You can chew fresh honey in a honeycomb like gum - this also helps with heartburn. Spoon helps with heartburn vegetable oil. Naturally, this is not very pleasant, but the effect is achieved instantly. Can be used to combat heartburn fresh potato juice If you don't quite like it, you'll have to be patient. Baking soda should not be used, as it promotes the production of hydrochloric acid in the body, which contributes to the speedy resumption of heartburn.

Update: October 2018

In the first 4-5 months of gestation, burning sensations behind the sternum and in the throat - heartburn - can occur periodically, with errors in diet or taking horizontal position through little time after meal. At a later date and visible reasons no, and heartburn is such that it takes all the strength of the pregnant woman, prevents her from sleeping and doing the necessary things.

Huge negative point that you can’t take the usual drugs - this can harm the child. And soda in the concentration that some “experienced advisers” can offer can not only get into the bloodstream and disrupt the pH in the child’s body, which is very dangerous, but can also lead to an ulcer or complete perforation of the mother’s stomach.

In the article we will tell you why heartburn occurs during pregnancy, how to get rid of it by methods that will not harm either the pregnant woman or the developing fetus.

Why heartburn occurs

Heartburn is not indicative of hyperacidity stomach. This only means that the contents of the stomach are thrown into the esophagus. This is possible when:

a weak muscle that lies between the esophagus and stomach. As a result, if a person bends or lies down after eating, part of the food and gastric juice enter the esophagus;
high pressure exerted on the walls of the stomach from the outside.

All this happens during pregnancy.

Causes of heartburn in the first trimester

When a woman's body prepares for pregnancy, an egg is formed in place of the spermatozoon that came out to "meet" corpus luteum- small endocrine organ, ovoid shape and yellowish color. It produces small amounts of progesterone, a hormone that prepares organs for conception. When it occurs, the corpus luteum begins to work even harder, producing an increasing amount of this hormone.

The main task of progesterone is to relax the uterus so that its increased tone does not interfere with the development of the fetus. But this hormone reduces tension not only in the uterine muscles: its effect extends to other smooth muscles, including:

the one that is located between the esophagus and the stomach;
those that move food through the stomach and from the stomach to the duodenum.

Progesterone acquires the maximum effect on the muscles of the gastrointestinal tract by the 13th week. Therefore, at this time, many pregnant women begin to feel heartburn, which appears when eating sour food, when moving 1-1.5 hours after eating in a supine position. A symptom can also appear during hunger, if the pregnant woman is lying.

Causes of heartburn in the second trimester

During this period, the uterus is actively growing, displacing organs abdominal cavity up and increase intra-abdominal pressure. The muscle between the esophagus and stomach is still relaxed, and if there is a lot of food or water, they, together with gastric juice, are thrown into the esophagus in small portions. It accompanies the slopes, flick, overeating and a quick transition after eating to a prone position.

Causes of heartburn in the third trimester

The uterus becomes more and more, shifts the stomach and intestines upward, increases intra-abdominal pressure. In late pregnancy, heartburn is the strongest, it manifests itself even just in a standing position, most often after eating. Just before delivery, when the fetal head is inserted into the bony pelvic ring, the uterus descends slightly and the level of progesterone produced decreases, which can be seen in the reduction of heartburn.

Of course, the main causes of heartburn during pregnancy are explained by the pregnancy itself and disappear after childbirth. But even during the period of bearing a child, an exacerbation can occur. chronic gastritis or peptic ulcer, especially if the lady likes sour, spicy or pickled dishes. Therefore, if, in addition to heartburn, a woman is worried about nausea or pain in the upper abdomen, or heartburn itself began before pregnancy or in its early stages, a consultation with a gastroenterologist is necessary.

What to do for heartburn during pregnancy

When this terrible symptom appears, you will have to completely change habitual image life: and diet, and eating habits, and the regime of the day and sleep. In the first or second trimester, to eliminate burning behind the sternum, it is better to resort to folk methods treatment, and in the third trimester of pregnancy with heartburn, you can already use some approved medicines.

Means of "ambulance"

To myself a simple remedy- baking soda - neither during pregnancy, nor after childbirth, you should not resort. The concentration that will help eliminate heartburn (and even then for a short time), being absorbed in the intestines into the blood, changes its pH. This blood is coming and to the fetus and, approaching every tissue and organ, can disrupt their work. In addition, baking soda damages protective layer, which lies on the mucous membrane of the stomach, and this can lead to the formation of a stomach ulcer or gastritis.

Instead of soda, you can take water "Borjomi" or "Polyana kvasova" in small quantities. At the same time, gas must be released from these drinks, otherwise it will increase the volume of the stomach, which will lead to the opposite effect.

For the treatment of heartburn during pregnancy, it is recommended:

drink boiled milk room temperature, in small portions throughout the day;
skip a fresh potato through a juicer, take juice in small volumes (tablespoons) for heartburn;
with an attack of heartburn, you can chew nuts: almonds or forest nuts, but in small quantities;
oatmeal jelly in the amount of ½ cup can also relieve an attack;
chew raw carrots;
eat some raw (not roasted) sunflower seeds.

Folk remedies for heartburn during pregnancy

In folk medicine, there are many recipes for heartburn. Before using any of them, consult your doctor:

Mix 100 g of mint + 100 g of St. John's wort + 60 g of centaury, take 2 tablespoons from there, pour 400 ml of boiling water. Leave the mixture for 12 hours, then strain and drink. Drink 1 time per day, in the morning, on an empty stomach, 100 ml.
Boil 500 ml of water, add 1 tbsp of common heather grass there, cook for 2 minutes, then you need to infuse the decoction for 30 minutes. Then strain and refrigerate for 2 hours. Drink before meals 1 tbsp.
Chamomile tea 100 ml during the day, after meals.
Grind the eggshell into a fine powder, take ½ tsp three times a day. The course is no more than 4 days.
Buy in a pharmacy powder from the roots and rhizomes of calamus. Chew 1/3 teaspoon of this powder three times a day, before meals.

Lifestyle change

One means of "ambulance" can only temporarily eliminate this unpleasant symptom. To prevent heartburn as much as possible, follow these rules:

starting from the second trimester, eat often (at least 5 times a day), but in small portions;
last meal - 3 hours before bedtime;
chew food thoroughly;
after eating, you can not lean upside down or lie down horizontally for 1-1.5 hours;
avoid fried, spicy and spicy foods;
watch the regularity of your own stool: constipation leads to an increase in intra-abdominal pressure, which increases heartburn. If you can’t recover daily, eat boiled beet salads and prunes;
the diet must contain foods with an alkaline pH: steamed omelettes, cream, milk, cottage cheese, boiled meat and fish, yesterday's white bread;
exercises for the press, even if they are allowed by your obstetrician-gynecologist, are not done with heartburn;
sleep on high pillows, if there are no contraindications to this;
your clothes should not put pressure on your stomach;
do not drink water during meals;
rest more.

Diet for heartburn

Let's talk about what you can eat and what is forbidden:

Type of dish	Can	It is forbidden
Beverages	Non-acidic kissels, herbal tea, water, milk, cream, carrot juice with cream	Coffee, strong tea carbonated drinks, sour compotes and sour juices
Fats	Butter, sunflower oil	Lamb, pork, goose fat
animal squirrels	Low-fat fish and meat, baked in foil or boiled, steam omelet	Fatty fish and meats, fried meat/fish of any kind, fried eggs
Vegetables	Boiled beets, carrots - raw and boiled	Tomatoes, white cabbage, onion, garlic, radish and radish
Fruits		Citrus, sour apples
Berries		Gooseberries, sour berries
Bread	Toasted or yesterday's white bread	Black bread
Flavor enhancers		Mustard, vinegar, marinades, sauces, horseradish, ketchup, peppers, products with cream
Mushrooms, beans		Mushrooms, beans
Kashi	Any cooked in a double boiler	Fire-boiled barley, millet and corn
Sweets	Marshmallow, honey, biscuit cookies	Chocolate, muffin
Soups	Dairy, vegetarian	Cooked with meat or bones
		Semi-finished products
		canned food
		Dairy products
		Ice cream
		Fast food, pies, pancakes, pancakes

Can I take heartburn medication?

Can be taken during pregnancy the following drugs, but - only after consulting a doctor and passing certain tests (for the content of calcium and phosphorus in the blood).

Between taking such a drug and food, as well as between taking this and another medicine, at least 1.5 hours must pass, otherwise there will be no effect.

Scientists from the University of Edinburgh (Scotland) and educational institutions Tempere (Finland) conducted a study and found a link between taking medicines that suppress heartburn (precisely during pregnancy) and the development of asthma in children at an early age. childhood. Recently, it has been suggested that drugs (proton pump blockers: omeprazole, pantoprazole, etc.), as well as H2-histamine receptor blockers (anti-allergic) can affect immune system unborn child and, increase the risk of developing allergic reactions the child in the future.

One of the unpleasant companions of pregnancy is often heartburn. She has natural physiological causes, which we will first analyze. When it becomes clear why pregnant women experience heartburn, you can understand how to deal with it. And this will be the subject of the second part of our discussion today.

Severe heartburn during pregnancy - causes

The changes that occur in the body of a pregnant woman are varied. One of them is a significant increase in the size of the uterus. The uterus presses on the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, the pressure gradually passes from the intestines to the stomach. Similar changes worsen the work of digestion and all organs involved in the digestive process. Food not only lingers in the stomach, but also partially goes back into the esophagus along with all the rest of the contents. Gastric juice irritates and burns the mucous membrane, which causes heartburn.

The mechanism is clear. It is impossible to completely eliminate the problem, it will disappear only after childbirth and the return of the uterus to normal sizes. True, sometimes heartburn appears even before the fetus develops. Then the reason is a change in hormonal levels. The principles of heartburn treatment in both situations are the same. Let's go to them below.

How to deal with heartburn by changing your diet

You need to start by changing your daily menu. After all, many products that a pregnant woman is drawn to provoke even more serious heartburn. Ideally, you need to consult a doctor, because some products can be excluded completely, while others cannot be abandoned. What you have to give up: high-fat foods, cooked by frying, flavored with a lot of spices, pickled.

In addition to the listed "dangerous" foods that always cause heartburn, there is also food that is dangerous in individual cases. You need to trace on your own, because of which products a characteristic burning sensation appears. Then stop eating them too. Then what can you eat?

First of all, let's talk about the method of preparation. Only those dishes that are cooked by boiling, baking and steaming are allowed. As for specific products, the safest are: meat with the minimum amount fat, low-fat sour cream, boiled eggs (soft-boiled if possible), fresh vegetables and fruits, but non-allergenic. These foods are often called alkaline because they stimulate the production of alkali to compensate for the effects of acid.

How to eat for heartburn during pregnancy

Not only the products are important, but also the way they are consumed. Best Method nutrition for a pregnant woman suffering from heartburn, this is a fractional principle. The diet should be divided into small portions to get 5-6 per day. If it is not possible to eat so often, it is important to ensure that the breaks are no more than 5 hours between meals.

Each portion should be consumed slowly, carefully chewing all the pieces of food. This is necessary to make it easier for the stomach to cope with digestion. Otherwise, the risk that food particles will fall back into the esophagus will increase. And one more thing: forget about the usual rest after lunch or dinner. Activity is not needed immediately after eating, but at least you need to maintain an upright position. This will make it difficult for the contents of the stomach to move back.

Folk recipes for heartburn during pregnancy

If heartburn still torments, it is not necessary to treat it with the help of pharmaceutical preparations. Eat big list folk remedies and simply alkaline products that reduce discomfort. We list the safest and simple methods elimination of heartburn during childbearing.

Kissel. Fruit and berry jelly is a well-known folk remedy for heartburn. But a clarification is important: jelly prepared exclusively on its own is allowed. Yes, there are a lot of kissels in dry briquettes for sale, but they contain a lot of dyes, preservatives and others. harmful substances. Instead, take fresh berries, fruit, starch, sugar. There are many recipes, making jelly is easy. Just remember that some berries and fruits cause allergies. Use exclusively safe.
Milk with almonds. It helps to get rid of the burning sensation, so milk is recommended for mucosal burns. Relieves discomfort, moisturizes the esophagus, in general, has a positive effect on health. It is advisable not to consume per day more than a couple glasses of low-fat drink. To enhance the effect, grate fresh almonds into a glass of milk. It is desirable to obtain a very fine powder. One teaspoon will be enough. Drink carefully, in small sips and slowly.
Herbal collection. Of the herbs that eliminate heartburn, yarrow, basil, marjoram are definitely in the first place. Ginger is also suitable for this, but not pickled, but always fresh. All components must be carefully chopped, mixed in equal proportions, and then take a teaspoon of the resulting mixture. For this amount of funds you need a glass of boiling water. Fill the collection with water, wait 15 minutes, strain. A whole glass is enough for a day if you take several sips at intervals of 2-3 hours.
Seeds, nuts and cereals. Ordinary sunflower seeds can cope with heartburn. Of the nuts, in addition to almonds, hazelnuts help. Oatmeal soaked in water will reduce acidity and make you feel better. Can be eaten dry cereals, if chewed well and limited to one spoon.
Non-carbonated mineral water. Not always, but in some cases, still mineral water helps with heartburn. It is desirable that it be cold and fresh.
Activated carbon. If speak about pharmaceutical preparations, then it is necessary to give preference to activated carbon. It's simple, safe, effective remedy. True, it is desirable to coordinate the reception activated carbon with the doctor. And be sure to limit yourself to a maximum of two tablets per day.

Summing up

Heartburn almost always accompanies pregnancy and appears not due to diseases, but due to natural causes associated with changes in the work of the female body. To get rid of heartburn, you need to revise the diet, add alkaline foods to the menu, and, if necessary, resort to folk remedies.