Acid Reflux And Pregnancy - Is There An Easy Way to Prevent It and Not Suffer?



Posted: Saturday, April 02, 2011

by Mark Hester

If you are expecting, you need to know there is a link between acid reflux (also known as GERD or gastroesophageal reflux disease) and your pregnancy. By some estimates by physicians, more than 50% of expectant mothers reported that they have encountered symptoms ranging from small to severe while pregnant.

Many women that do not have a history of heartburn or indigestion, encounter acid reflux symptoms for the first time after becoming pregnant and it is likely to get worse during the second and third trimester of their pregnancy. Despite the fact that it can be very painful, the heartburn a woman gets during pregnancy is usually quite harmless. And while pregnancy and severe acid reflux symptoms in women often go hand-in-hand, usually they disappear immediately after the birth of the child.

If you have been lucky so far to have never had a bout of the symptoms of acid reflux or heartburn, the first time you notice it may be quite scary. A lot of pregnant women have questions about symptoms of heartburn. However before you allow the pain of heartburn shake you, do not forget that more than 50 percent of all pregnant women experience this same issues.

Acid reflux and pregnancy often occur together because:

1. Changing body hormone levels influence the functioning of your digestive tract and how different foods are digested. This might affect your ability to digest some of your favorite foods and even drinks.

2. The placenta emits a hormone, known as progesterone, that relaxes the LES (lower esophageal sphincter), this enables the acid in the stomach to circulate back up into the esophagus -- which is the traditional cause of heartburn.

3. Progesterone can slow down peristalsis (the involuntary muscle contractions that transport your food along the gastrointestinal tract). Naturally, this can make digestion more difficult.

4. Acid in your stomach can actually be forced back up into the esophagus by the growing fetus crowding your abdomen.

What Can You Do?

Lying on your side can help to decrease your discomfort from heartburn.

Watch what you eat and stay away from foods that bring on acid reflux symptoms.

You may want to alter your physical exercise. You may need to decrease or even increase your exercise to help with your symptoms.

You may not be able to eliminate your acid reflux symptoms completely, but usually, barring any unforeseen complications, the well-being of your baby and your health are not at risk.

Acid reflux and heartburn is quite common during pregnancy, affecting about 50% of expectant mothers (and probably 100% of expectant fathers ;)

If you would like to learn more about pregnancy and acid reflux, visit our site, http://acidrefluxresource.org, for easy solutions you can use to prevent and cure acid reflux, heartburn and indigestion.
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