There is excellent news and awful news about acid reflux in pregnancy. The excellent news is that it more often than not resolves itself in the weeks and months subsequent to birth because hormone levels return to normal. The bad news is that at least 25% of women experience day by day heartburn as soon as they become pregnant and by the third trimester just about 75% of pregnant women go through ruthless heartburn.
The medical community proposes numerous theories but no agreement on the causes for pregnancy related heartburn.
Three theories keep coming to the front:
* Shifting levels of hormones, particularly progesterone, can cause changes in the body and the way the digestive system operates.
* A growing and developing fetus takes up space. As the fetus develops the female body has to change to accommodate it. Some organs like the intestines become slightly displaced and put greater pressure on the stomach.
* Habits and lifestyle choices change and some of these changes are bad for reflux. Wearing clothing that is too tight at the waist, eating large meals especially before lying down, and unusual food choices all add to reflux.
The news is not all terrible. There are some things that pregnant women can do to help out in relieving the symptoms of reflux. Eating smaller meals, not lying down right after eating, and not wearing clothing that is tight around the waist all help. Perhaps the most important change is to modify ones sleeping position and basically use gravity to keep acid down. Sleeping on a wedge that supports the entire torso helps. Also, many physicians suggest sleeping on the left side. This position decreases pressure on certain arteries and also decreases pressure on the liver which is on the right side of the upper abdomen.
