Pregnancy Signs & Symptoms, Week by Week Pregnancy Guide

In the majority of the cases women are asking is heartburn a sign of pregnancy.

The truth is that it could be a sign, but it isn’t a specific one, meaning that it could also be caused by a number of other conditions.

However, a lot of women experience heartburn during their pregnancy.

Information about pregnancy heartburn

Usually women experience this symptom during their pregnancy. It is a mild symptom and there is no reason to be worried, however we have to admit that it is quite uncomfortable. It can be described as a burning sensation that can be felt between the lower throat and the breastbone.

Heartburn during pregnancy is caused by the physical and hormonal changes that the body has to go through. Progesterone relaxes the smooth muscles of the body including the valve that separates the stomach and the esophagus.

This way gastric acid can get into the esophagus, leading to the burning sensation.

When asking “is heartburn a sign of pregnancy” it is also known that progesterone slows down the movements of the esophagus, decreasing the speed of digestion.

As the pregnancy progresses, the growing baby starts pushing up the gastric acid. It usually appears in the second half of pregnancy.

Steps to take

There are a lot of things that you could do about heartburn while being pregnant. Nonetheless you should keep in mind that there is no real way to make the symptom disappear.

You can only make it a little better and less uncomfortable.

Gastrointestinal distress

If you are asking is heartburn a sign of pregnancy, you should know that in order to make the problem better you shouldn’t have any foods and drinks that lead to gastrointestinal distress. Avoid having alcohol, carbonated drinks, coffee, acidic fruits, chocolate, mint products, processed food, and fatty food.

Meals

In order to make the heartburn when being pregnant better you should opt for having several smaller meals instead of the traditional three daily meals. Make sure that you don’t eat on the run and it is important to chew the food properly.

Drinking during meals

It is important to avoid drinking larger quantities of water during your meals. This is because the fluids could make the stomach distend. Nonetheless keep in mind that drinking enough fluids during pregnancy is a must.

Chewing gum

If you have problems with heartburn and pregnancy, it is a good idea to chew some gum after eating. This is because the chewing stimulates the salivary glands, which produce more saliva that can neutralize gastric acid. In this case it is good to chew gum, while in other cases it could be an unhealthy habit.

Now you know the answer to the question is heartburn a sign of pregnancy: it is possible for it to be a sign of pregnancy. However if this is the only symptom that you have, the best thing you could do is to get tested.