Both heartburn and indigestion are common complaints during pregnancy. They can be very uncomfortable conditions causing a burning sensation in your chest.
Indigestion is the inability of the digestive system to properly digest the food in the intestinal tract, felt and an uncomfortable feeling of having eaten too much food.
Heartburn is an uncomfortable burning sensation felt behind the breastbone, or sternum, at the lower end of the esophagusA muscular tube lined with mucus membrane about 9 inches (24 cm) long, which leads from the neck to the stomach. It is the narrowest part of the digestive tube, being most constricted at its origin.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions.. There are two causes of heartburn during pregnancy: reduced motility and reflux. Reduced motility refers to the slowing down of the digestive tract caused by the hormoneA complex chemical substance created in a part or organ of the body. When released it initiates or regulates activity in an organ or group of cells in another part of the body.
Hormones secreted by endocrine glands are transported through the bloodstream to their target organ. The amount of hormone secreted is regulated either by other hormones, by neurotransmitters, or simply when an excess of the organ's activity indicates a need to reduce the amount of the hormone produced.
Other hormones are produced locally by the organs themselves and are common in the digestive tract.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions., progesteroneOne of the two naturally occuring female hormones (the other is estrogen) used to regulate and maintain the pregnancy. Produced first by the corpus luteum in the ovary, production is subsequently taken over by the placenta as it develops. During pregnancy a mother's production of progesterone ten times the level it was prior to conception. Progesterone and estrogen are responsible for giving many mothers a sense of tranquility, shiny hair and glowing skin.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions., during pregnancy. The hormone also softens and relaxes the body's tissues. This reduces the effectiveness of the valve, or sphincter, at the top of the stomach permitting gastric acid to enter the windpipe, or esophagus. This condition is called acid reflux.
As your pregnancy progresses, the uterus expands into the space previously occupied by the digestive system, squeezing gastric acid back into the esophagusA muscular tube lined with mucus membrane about 9 inches (24 cm) long, which leads from the neck to the stomach. It is the narrowest part of the digestive tube, being most constricted at its origin.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions.. You are most likely to notice this when lying down, coughing, lifting something heavy or straining on the toilet while constipated (another result of the slowing of the digestive system).
There is a myth that women who experience heartburn during pregnancy will have a hairy baby. There is no evidence to support this, and in fact up to seventy five percent (3 in 4) women experience heartburn during their pregnancy. About one quarter (1 in 4) of women who have heartburn during pregnancy will experience it daily.
Heartburn is most often felt starting about week twenty one, and commonly affects women during the last three or four months of their pregnancy. Some women will begin to feel symptoms of heartburn as their uterus begins to grow and push the stomach out of the way, by the end of the first trimester. Once heartburn is felt during pregnancy, it will usually continue until the delivery of the baby.
If you are experiencing indigestion, make sure that you give your stomach plenty of room to digest the food you have eaten. Wear loose jeans, pants or skirts so that your digestive tract is not squeezed.
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The best way to minimize the occurrence of heartburn during pregnancy is to find a way of preventing the contents of the stomach traveling back into the wind pipe. Try different positions when sitting or sleeping to keep the uterus from pressing against your stomach. Sitting in upright chairs and sleeping propped up on several pillows will often greatly reduce the incidence of heartburn in your pregnancy.
Talk to your doctor or nutritionist about a diet that is easy to digest. There is no diet that works for everyone. Instead, you will need to learn which foods affect you so that you can adjust your diet according. You should avoid foods that are fatty and greasy such as junk food, and carbonated drinks. Some women find that they cannot digest yeast during pregnancy, and can relieve their heartburn by cutting out bread with meals. Others find relief by eating their meals dry without drinking any liquids.
Eat several small meals throughout the day rather than two or three big ones. Chew your food thoroughly before swallowing, so that the enzymesA protein produced by the body's cells which catalyzes chemical reactions in organic matter. While most enzymes catalyze reactions within cells, digestive enzymes, which are produced in much larger quantities, act outside of cells within the digestive tract.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. in your saliva have an opportunity to begin breaking down the food before it reaches the stomach. After you have eaten, take a walk to stimulate your digestive system or sit upright in a chair to prevent squashing the stomach. Don't eat too late at night, so that you don't have to lie down or go to bed immediately after eating.
If you are suffering from heartburn during pregnancy, trying drinking a glass of milk before you go to sleep, which can neutralize the effects of the acids in the stomach. Your doctor may recommend using antacids later in pregnancy, but avoid using preparations containing sodium bicarbonate. This can result in additional water retention, making your feel even more uncomfortable. Recommended antacids include Amphojel®, milk of magnesia and Maalox®, which can be taken up to one hour before a meal and two hours after, or at bedtime. Don't take any preparation without consulting your doctor first.
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