Heartburn During Pregnancy: What Causes it and How to Find Relief

Article Summary

• Heartburn is a common pregnancy symptom.
• Heartburn feels like an uncomfortable or burning sensation behind your breastbone (center of your chest).
• You can manage heartburn through medication, lifestyle changes or natural remedies at home.

What Is Heartburn?

If you notice an uncomfortable feeling or a burning sensation behind your breastbone, you might be experiencing heartburn.¹ You might also feel some discomfort in the centre of your chest or the back of your throat.¹ This may be accompanied by a sour or bitter taste in your mouth, which is also a heartburn symptom.¹ Heartburn happens when your stomach acid backflows out of your stomach and rises into your esophagus.¹

What Causes Heartburn in Pregnancy?

When you’re pregnant, your hormones can cause your digestive system to slow down, which means that the muscles that move food down your esophagus can also move more slowly.² Pregnancy hormones can also cause the relaxation of the esophageal sphincter, the tight circular band of muscle that is supposed to keep stomach contents from coming back up.³ In addition, as your little one grows inside you, he or she may start to press on your stomach.² This can cause stomach acid to rise out of your stomach and into the esophagus.²

If you experience heartburn during pregnancy, don’t worry—it’s a very common pregnancy symptom.² You may notice that your heartburn symptoms increase as your pregnancy progresses and your belly bump grows, but your symptoms can improve or go away entirely once you welcome your little one into the world.²

Lifestyle Changes to Help Manage Heartburn During Pregnancy

If you’re looking to get relief from heartburn during pregnancy, there are some lifestyle changes you can make.² Try these remedies to help manage your heartburn symptoms:²

• Avoid certain foods. Spicy foods, chocolate, and peppermint can make heartburn symptoms worse. You should also avoid foods that contain a lot of acid, like tomatoes and oranges.
• Drink less caffeine. Beverages like tea, coffee and sodas can aggravate heartburn symptoms.
• Eat smaller meals. Instead of eating 2 or 3 large meals each day, eat 4 or 5 smaller meals. You may already be snacking through the day, so this may be an especially helpful tip.
• Stay upright after eating. Try going for a walk after eating or sitting up for at least an hour. If you’re feeling tired, naps are a good idea, just allow your body to begin digesting your food before laying down.
• Eat an earlier dinner. To avoid heartburn during pregnancy, try to eat at least 2 hours before going to bed.
• Elevate your head when you sleep. Raise the head of your bed from 15 cm (6 in.) to 20 cm (8 in.) by putting blocks under your bed frame. You can also try putting a foam wedge under the top of your mattress. Adding extra pillows might not help relieve heartburn.

Natural Heartburn Remedies to Try During Pregnancy

If you’re looking for fast relief from uncomfortable heartburn symptoms, try these natural remedies:⁴

• Chewing gum may reduce symptoms of acid reflux.
• Consuming honey may reduce symptoms of acid reflux.⁵

Fortunately, heartburn symptoms often improve with lifestyle modifications. If you continue to experience symptoms of heartburn after trying lifestyle modifications and home remedies, your doctor may recommend medications to treat heartburn.

How Is Heartburn Treated?

If you continue to experience heartburn during pregnancy, talk to your healthcare provider.² They may be able to prescribe medicine that can help provide relief or suggest over-the-counter heartburn remedies.² Here are examples of medicines that your healthcare provider may prescribe or recommend:

• Antacids: Antacids are available over the counter.² If you’re pregnant, your healthcare provider may recommend antacids that contain calcium carbonate.² Avoid antacids that contain sodium bicarbonate, aspirin or magnesium trisilicate since they might not be safe for your baby.²
• H2 blockers: Examples of H2 blockers include cimetidine and famotidine.²
• Proton pump inhibitors: Examples of proton pump inhibitors include omeprazole and lansoprazole.²

Make sure you talk to your healthcare provider before taking any medications.²

By making lifestyle changes, trying natural remedies and taking medication that’s recommended by your doctor, you can help manage your heartburn symptoms. Learn more about how you can support a healthy pregnancy.

1. https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/Pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=sth149644&lang=en-ca#sth149644-sec
2. https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/pregnancy-parenting/pregnancy/your-health-during-pregnancy/heartburn-during-pregnancy
3. https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=134&ContentID=10
4. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12011-heartburn-during-pregnancy
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38268884/