Does Heartburn Happen In Early Pregnancy

Symptoms Of Heartburn During Pregnancy

Heartburn/Acidity During Pregnancy: Reasons, Signs & Treatment

Common heartburn symptoms reported by pregnant women include:

A burning feeling in the chest just behind the breastbone that occurs after eating and lasts a few minutes to several hours
Chest pain, especially after bending over, lying down, or eating
Burning in the throat or hot, sour, or salty-tasting fluid at the back of the throat
Belching

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Why Does It Happen In Pregnancy

Many women who have heartburn during pregnancy have never had problems before. Unfortunately, if you had heartburn before becoming pregnant, youre more likely to have symptoms while you are pregnant. Although the exact reasons arent clear, most experts believe that pregnancy hormones, particularly progesterone, play a role. Hormones cause relaxation of the esophageal sphincter. This is a tight circular band of muscle at the top of the stomach. This allows partially digested food and stomach acids to backflow, or reflux, into the esophagus. In addition, progesterone also slows the digestive process. This keeps food in the stomach longer. The pregnancy itselfthe upward pressure of the growing uterusalso may play a role.

Symptoms Of Indigestion And Heartburn

Symptoms of indigestion and heartburn include:

a burning sensation or pain in the chest
feeling full, heavy or bloated
burping or belching
feeling or being sick
bringing up food

Symptoms usually come on soon after eating or drinking, but there can sometimes be a delay between eating and developing indigestion.

You can get symptoms at any point during your pregnancy, but they are more common from 27 weeks onwards.

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Weight Gain During Early Pregnancy

Weight gain becomes more common toward the end of your first trimester. You may find yourself gaining about 1 to 4 pounds in the first few months.

Calorie recommendations for early pregnancy wont change much from your usual diet, but they will increase as pregnancy progresses.

In the later stages, pregnancy weight often shows up in the:

breasts
uterus

Hormones can cause the valve between your stomach and esophagus to relax. This allows stomach acid to leak, causing heartburn.

Be Aware Of Your Triggers

Indigestion And Reflux Causes Pregnancy Early During

Citrus, fat, chocolate or caffeine these are all things that expecting mothers who experience heartburn have been recommended not to consume them. But leads to acid reflux in a certain woman may not be a triggering cause for another woman.

Rather than tell their patients to avoid a particular type of food, some doctors advise them to stay from some foods which tend to worsen them in particular. We are all different from one another. If some of the pregnant women out there are able to chow down when it comes to spaghetti or Mexican food, other ones cannot.

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Nose Bleeds And Nasal Stuffiness

Your nose is so far away from your uterus how could it be involved? But nose bleeds and stuffiness are very common due to an increase in the blood flow through your nose during pregnancy. In fact, the prevalence of nosebleeds is 20.3% in pregnancy compared with 6.2% in non-pregnant people.

You can treat the symptoms with natural remedies like using a humidifier or using a Neti pot to rinse your nasal passage with salt water. If that doesnt help, talk to a doctor or midwife for other options. Rest assured that aside from being inconvenient, nosebleeds and stuffiness during pregnancy are rarely severe.

What Makes It Worse

Most spicy, greasy, fatty foods known for causing heartburn are also likely to cause problems for pregnant women. Food doesnt digest as well or move as quickly during pregnancy. So, eating large meals or overeating in general can also increase the risk for heartburn. Eating right before bedtime can cause problems, too. Smoking makes heartburn worse and is another reason to quit, especially while pregnant.

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Medicines For Indigestion And Heartburn

Medicines for indigestion and heartburn during pregnancy include:

antacids to neutralise the acid in your stomach
alginates to relieve indigestion caused by acid reflux by stopping the acid in your stomach coming back up your gullet

You may only need to take antacids and alginates when you start getting symptoms. However, your GP may recommend taking them before symptoms come on for example, before a meal or before bed.

If youre taking iron supplements as well as antacids, do not take them at the same time. Antacids can stop iron from being absorbed by your body.

If antacids and alginates do not improve your symptoms, your GP may prescribe a medicine to reduce the amount of acid in your stomach. 2 that are widely used in pregnancy and not known to be harmful to an unborn baby are:

ranitidine a tablet you take twice a day
omeprazole a tablet you take once a day

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How To Get Rid Of Heartburn During Pregnancy

Pregnancy Heartburn: Causes, Symptoms, and Foods that Help

Pregnancy can change your body in more than one way. During this phase, you will experience a multitude of things, all at once. One common and troublesome symptom experienced by expecting mothers is heartburn or acid indigestion.

Despite the severity of this symptom, most pregnant women are not willing to take any medications, fearing the side effects associated with them. Hence, if you are an expecting mother who has been on the lookout for natural ways to soothe heartburn during pregnancy, we are here to help.

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Ginger And Acupressure Relieve Morning Sickness

Answer: Old Wives Tale

Bad news for the 70 percent of pregnant women who experience nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy: There is no truly reliable treatment for morning sickness. Authors of a Cochrane systematic review analyzed 27 studies involving more than 4,000 pregnant women and found that not a single commonly used remedy, including ginger, acupuncture, acupressure, vitamin B6 and anti-nausea drugs, could be deemed effective.

we found little evidence to support these popular therapies, says study co-author Dónal OMathúna, Ph.d., a senior lecturer at Dublin City University school of Nursing in ireland. But this doesnt mean you shouldnt try them . Some of these therapies might work for some women, OMathúna says. Plus, the placebo effect can be very powerful.

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Pregnancy Sign: Sore Breasts

Before you start cursing your bra for suddenly feeling more like a contraption from the hardware store than the lacy lingerie that took a serious chunk out of your paycheque, consider that your newly sore boobs could be a sign that youre pregnant. Breast tenderness is another common early pregnancy sign, according to Nordahl. For many women, what can make this symptom particularly confusing is that breast soreness is also a very common sign of your period. But early on in your pregnancy, your breasts may hurt because theyre expanding in preparation for producing milk.

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When Does Heartburn Start During Pregnancy

Heartburn is a symptom of acid reflux that results from the irritation of the esophagus or food pipe. This irritation is triggered by stomach acid that comes back up from the stomach. Heartburn is also referred to as acid indigestion.

Almost 50% of pregnant women are reported to exhibit severe symptoms of heartburn. This is especially apparent in the second and third trimester of pregnancy, which is when the growing uterus ends up exerting increased pressure on the stomach .

Let us now look at the potential triggers of heartburn in pregnancy.

Try Foods That May Help Relieve Heartburn

Is Constant Heartburn A Sign Of Early Pregnancy

Some foods work wonders when it comes to relieving or even preventing heartburn. For the best results, try and add the following to your diet:

bananas and melons: they represent highly alkaline fruits and are the best natural remedy for your problems
ginger: ginger can work as an anti-inflammatory in your system and reduce reflux, as well as symptoms connected to nausea and vomiting
yoghurt: yoghurt has a soothing effect that will calm down your heartburn and help with proper digestion
green vegetables: green beans, spinach, asparagus, kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and celery are all highly alkaline foods, so theyre also good for your stomach and can prevent the production of stomach acid
whole grains: whole wheat bread, oatmeal, brown rice and similar all treat as well as even prevent reflux, while oatmeal can actually absorb stomach and other types of acids.

A good piece of advice would be to keep a diet diary so you can track the foods that might be causing you problems, and detect those that alleviate your symptoms.

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Baby Bumps On Your Face

You may look forward to that perfect pregnancy complexion only to end up with a face full of angry red bumps instead. Pregnancy acne is a not-so-fun symptom common in the first and second trimesters.

What to know:

Its caused by the production of androgen, a hormone that triggers your glands to make extra sebum, an oily substance that can clog your pores and lead to pimples.
More than half of all pregnant women will develop some acne in the first trimester.
Women who experience acne flare-ups during menstruation are more likely to get pregnancy acne.
If you dont experience pregnancy acne in the first trimester, you probably wont have abnormal breakouts in the second or third trimester, either.
Some prescription acne treatments, like Accutane, can be harmful to your baby you should avoid them during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor about what treatments are safe in pregnancy.

Tips:

Avoid white bread, pasta, rice, and sugar. A wholesome anti-acne diet is the foundation for clear skin.
Invite some friends over and have a face mask party! Many acne home remedies are easy to whip up using items you probably already have in your kitchen.

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Which Diet And Lifestyle Changes Relieve Heartburn During Pregnancy

The management of heartburn during pregnancy involves many of the same principles as management in the non-pregnant state. Lifestyle changes may include:

Raise the head of the bed on 6- to 8-inch blocks. Alternatively, a 6- to 8-inch wedge-shaped foam rubber pad could be used to elevate the upper body. It is important the foam is firm enough to truly elevate the upper body. The wedge should also extend all the way to the waist so the entire chest is elevated.

Lying on the left side at night may decrease acid reflux just as it does in non-pregnant women with GERD. In this position, it is physically more difficult for acid to reflux into the esophagus.

Occasionally, it may be necessary to sleep in a recliner chair at a 45-degree or greater angle.

Any specific foods that aggravate heartburn should be avoided

Frequent, small meals should be eaten rather than three large meals, and the last meal of the day should be early in the evening.

After meals, pregnant women are prone to heartburn should not lie down.

After the evening meal, no further liquids should be consumed. The emptier the stomach at bedtime, the less likely there will be reflux of acid.

Smoking should be discontinued for numerous reasons during pregnancy, including that it aggravates reflux.

Heartburn Symptoms During Pregnancy

Oh, pregnancy. Its such a beautiful experiencesave for the many unpleasant side-effects that come with the territory. And, yes, one common complaint among expectant moms is heartburn. More than half of women experience heartburn, also called gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD, during pregnancy, says Jill Purdie, MD, medical director and ob-gyn at Northside Womens Specialists in Georgia.

So what does heartburn feel like when youre pregnant? Theres no way to sugar-coat it: The feeling can be downright miserable. Heartburn feels most often like a burning sensation in the chest. The sensation can rise into the throat, accompanied by a bitter or sour taste in the back of the throat and mouth, says Kecia Gaither, MD, associate professor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology at Weill Cornell Medicine and director of perinatal services at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln. Besides that telltale fiery feeling, there are a few other symptoms you might experience. Some women also complain of the sensation of fullness in their upper abdomen or food not staying down well, and chronic dry cough may also be a symptom of heartburn, says Purdie.

What Is Acid Reflux During Pregnancy

What can I do about acid reflux during pregnancy?

People use the terms heartburn and acid reflux to mean the same thing. But they have different definitions:

Acid reflux refers to the LES not tightening as it should. This allows the stomach acid to travel from your stomach up to your esophagus.
Heartburn, the feeling of pain or burning in your chest, is a symptom of acid reflux.

Women may have acid reflux during pregnancy and experience heartburn due to changing hormone levels and the baby growing.

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Changes In Cervical Mucus

Have you become a student of your cervical mucus? Then check it out now: If it becomes creamy and stays that way after ovulation, its a good sign youll have a positive pregnancy test.

As your pregnancy progresses, youll also notice increased vaginal discharge, called leukorrhea. This thin, milky-white discharge is normal and healthy, but speak to your practitioner if it appears lumpy or thick.

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Babys Growth In The First Trimester

During the first 13 weeks, your baby changes from a fertilized egg into a fully-formed fetus. All the major organs and systems are taking shape. That means your baby could be harmed if you use street drugs, have an illness, or get exposed to radiation. Heres whats happening:

The fertilized egg becomes a cluster of rapidly dividing cells that implants in your uterus. The placenta, umbilical cord and amniotic sac all start to grow.
Your babys nervous system changes from an open neural tube to a brain and spinal cord. Nerves and muscles start working together. Your baby can move on its own, but its too soon for you to feel it.
The heart takes shape and begins to beat. You can hear it on ultrasound as early as week 6. It beats 120 to 160 times per minute. Red blood cells are forming.
Your baby develops a digestive system, including intestines and kidneys.
They have lungs and other major organs, but theyre not fully developed.
A soft skeleton is starting to grow.
Your baby starts to look like a baby, with arms, legs, fingers, and toes. Their face gets eyes, ears, a nose, and mouth. A tongue and tooth buds grow. Eyelids cover your babys eyes, and by the end of the trimester, they even have fingernails.
Genitals start to grow, but its too early to tell by ultrasound whether youre having a girl or a boy.

Continued

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How Medclines Reflux Relief System Can Help

Our patented acid reflux pillow is the only solution on the market that uses the left, inclined sleeping posture recommended by physicians for heartburn relief. Engineered with medical grade materials, protective casing, and three sizing options, our Reflux Relief System is the ideal solution for women experiencing pregnancy heartburn, or those with generic acid reflux symptoms.

Increased Heart Rate During Early Pregnancy

Pregnancy Heartburn Relief During Early Pregnancy

Around weeks 8 to 10, your heart may begin pumping faster and harder. Palpitations and arrhythmias are common in pregnancy. This is normally due to hormones.

Increased blood flow due to the fetus happens later in pregnancy. Ideally, management starts before conception, but if you have an underlying heart problem, your doctor can help supervise low dosages of drugs.

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How Do Pregnancy Tests Work

If you have a pregnancy test done at the doctors office, it basically lets the doctor know if your blood or urine contains hCG, which is a hormone known as human chorionic gonadotropin. This particular hormone is made immediately after you have a fertilized egg attach itself to your uterus wall, typically happening around five or six days after its been fertilized.

Youll have a rapid rise in hCG levels if youre pregnant. Your hCG levels will typically double approximately every 72 hours early on in your pregnancy. There are two different types of pregnancy tests that will give you the same answer. These are blood and urine tests.

The staff at your local Carlisle, Harrisburg and Mechanicsburg urgent care centers realize that it can be an exciting time starting a family, but the uncertainty in the beginning surrounding pregnancy tests can be nerve-wracking. Many women dont even consider going to an urgent care center to have a pregnancy test done and often rely on a home test instead.

The problem with this is these types of tests can give you a false-negative or false-positive, which can really add on to this uncertainty. There are a number of reasons why home tests give you false results. Some reasons include:

Nausea And Morning Sickness

Nausea is the feeling of sickness that makes you want to vomit. It is sometimes called feeling queasy in the stomach.

The discomfort occurs in the upper stomach but may not always lead to vomiting. Morning sickness may start to occur as early as the first 3 weeks before a missed period.

It can get heightened during implantation.
During implantation, the body produces the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin .
HCG has been linked with morning sickness and vomiting.

Nausea that is caused by pregnancy can occur any time of the day. It is very common in the morning but it can occur at noon and even in the evenings. Constantly feeling like you want to vomit should start to subside by the second trimester.

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