Heartburn at 18 weeks pregnant

The discomfort may rise from the upper abdomen toward the chest or throat and can include sour-tasting fluid in the mouth. It often becomes more noticeable after food or when reclining.

Hormonal changes can loosen the barrier that normally helps keep stomach contents below the oesophagus. The expanding uterus also changes the space and pressure within the abdomen, so reflux may occur even if you did not experience it before pregnancy.

Symptoms that fit reflux can still overlap with other problems. Localised severe pain, persistent vomiting, difficulty swallowing, or chest pressure with breathlessness calls for assessment rather than repeated self-treatment.

Reduce the size of meals and space food through the day if large portions trigger burning. Identify your own triggers rather than excluding many foods unnecessarily. Common aggravators can include fatty meals, chilli, acidic foods, caffeine, or chocolate.

Keep your torso upright after eating and avoid a late meal immediately before bed. For recurring night symptoms, elevate the head end of the sleeping surface so your upper chest is raised. Before using an antacid or acid-reducing medicine, confirm with a pharmacist, midwife, or doctor that its ingredients suit pregnancy and your current medicines.

Contact your maternity team or doctor if symptoms repeatedly disturb sleep, prevent normal eating, or remain troublesome despite changing meals and position. Prompt assessment is also appropriate for painful swallowing, food sticking, recurrent vomiting, black bowel motions, blood in vomit, or persistent abdominal pain.

Get emergency help for intense chest pressure, breathlessness, collapse, heavy sweating, or pain travelling into the back, arm, shoulder, or jaw. Do not wait for an antacid to work when these warning signs are present.

Ask which product is compatible with pregnancy, how often it may be used, and whether it needs to be taken separately from iron, folic acid, or other prescriptions. If symptoms changed suddenly, explain what feels different and whether meals, movement, or lying down alter the discomfort.