Acid reflux at 39 weeks pregnant

The valve between the oesophagus and stomach can relax during pregnancy, allowing acidic stomach contents to move upward. At the same time, the near-term uterus leaves less room for the stomach. This may cause burning behind the breastbone, a sour taste, burping, or symptoms after meals and when lying down. Reflux can disturb sleep, but new chest pressure or upper abdominal pain should not automatically be labelled as indigestion.

Try smaller meals, eat slowly, and stay upright after eating. Notice whether fatty, spicy, acidic, or caffeinated foods trigger your symptoms rather than removing many foods at once. Leave time between the evening meal and lying down, and raise the upper body for sleep with a stable wedge or bed adjustment. Check with a pharmacist, GP, or maternity clinician before using an antacid or acid-reducing medicine, because the formulation, timing around other medicines, and your health history matter.

Call emergency services for severe chest pain, major breathing difficulty, fainting, or pain spreading to the arm, jaw, or back. Contact maternity care urgently for severe or persistent pain under the ribs or in the upper abdomen, a strong headache, visual changes, sudden swelling, vaginal bleeding, leaking fluid, regular painful contractions, or reduced baby movement. Arrange review for difficulty swallowing, vomiting blood, black stools, repeated vomiting, weight loss, or reflux that remains troublesome despite suitable measures.

Describe where the discomfort is, what it feels like, when it occurs, whether swallowing is difficult, and what food or position changes have helped. Ask which medicine fits your stage of pregnancy and how to separate its timing from iron or other prescribed tablets.