Immediate relief for heartburn during pregnancy

Pregnancy hormones can relax the muscle between the stomach and food pipe, while the growing uterus can increase pressure inside the abdomen. Acid may then move upward, causing burning behind the breastbone, a sour taste, or discomfort after meals. Heartburn is common in pregnancy, but severe or unfamiliar chest pain should not be dismissed as heartburn.

Eat smaller portions, take time over meals, and remain upright after eating. Avoid lying down soon after food and notice whether rich, spicy, acidic, or caffeinated items worsen your symptoms. Raise the upper body when resting if night symptoms occur. Ask your maternity clinician or pharmacist before taking an antacid, alginate, or acid-reducing medicine, because not every product is suitable in pregnancy.

Seek urgent help for chest pressure, breathlessness, faintness, sweating, or pain spreading to the arm or jaw. Contact your maternity team promptly for trouble swallowing, repeated vomiting, vomiting blood, black stools, severe upper abdominal pain, or symptoms that remain troublesome despite recommended measures.

Ask which medicines are suitable at your stage of pregnancy, how to space them from supplements, and whether persistent symptoms need testing. Tell your clinician about the timing of heartburn, your food triggers, vomiting, weight changes, and any history of acid reflux, gastritis, hiatus hernia, or peptic ulcer.