Heartburn at 37 weeks pregnant

Pregnancy hormones can relax the valve between the stomach and oesophagus, while the enlarged uterus increases pressure on the stomach. This can allow acid to travel upward, causing burning behind the breastbone, sour-tasting fluid, or discomfort after meals and when lying down.

Symptoms can become more noticeable as pregnancy advances because abdominal pressure and slower digestion favour reflux. Acid reflux commonly presents with heartburn, but a burning chest sensation does not identify the cause by itself. Tell your maternity team where the discomfort is, when it starts, and whether it comes with breathlessness, headache, visual changes, swelling, or upper-abdominal pain.

Pain beneath the ribs or in the upper abdomen, particularly with a severe headache or changes in vision, requires maternity assessment because it can accompany a pregnancy complication rather than simple reflux. Chest pain may also arise outside the digestive system, so the associated symptoms guide urgency.

Choose smaller meals, eat slowly, and remain upright after eating. Notice whether particular foods, rich meals, caffeine, or late eating trigger symptoms, then adjust the triggers that matter to you. Sleeping with the upper body raised and lying on your left side may reduce night-time reflux. Avoid tight clothing across the abdomen.

Before using an antacid, alginate, herbal product, or acid-suppressing medicine, check with your maternity clinician or pharmacist that it is suitable in pregnancy and compatible with your other medicines. Some antacids can interfere with the absorption of iron or other tablets, so ask how to space the doses.

Contact your maternity unit urgently for severe or persistent pain beneath the ribs or in the upper abdomen, especially with a strong headache, blurred vision, flashing lights, sudden swelling, nausea, or feeling very unwell. Also seek prompt advice for reduced baby movements, vaginal bleeding, leaking fluid, or regular painful contractions.

Call emergency services for severe chest pain or pressure, trouble breathing, fainting, coughing blood, or pain spreading to the arm, jaw, shoulder, or back. Urgent assessment is also needed for vomiting blood, black sticky stools, repeated vomiting, or inability to swallow.

Ask which reflux treatment is suitable for you, how to separate it from iron or other tablets, and when symptoms should be reassessed. Explain whether the pain is burning, pressure-like, related to meals, or located under the ribs, and report any headache, visual symptoms, swelling, breathlessness, or change in baby movements.