Intense acid reflux during pregnancy

Pregnancy hormones can relax the valve between the food pipe and stomach. As the uterus grows, pressure in the abdomen can also encourage acid or food to travel upward. Burning behind the breastbone, a sour taste, burping, nausea or a cough after meals may occur, especially when lying down.

Reflux is not the only explanation for chest symptoms. Chest tightness, abdominal pain, repeated vomiting or trouble swallowing should be discussed with a maternity or medical team, particularly when symptoms are new, intense or different from your usual pattern.

Try smaller meals, remain upright after eating, avoid lying down soon after food, and identify personal triggers such as rich, spicy or acidic meals. Raising the upper body during sleep may help. Choose pregnancy-safe medicines only after checking with your obstetric clinician, midwife or pharmacist; do not start or stop treatment based on someone else’s prescription.

Keep a brief record of meals, timing, sleep position and symptoms. This can show whether reflux is disturbing sleep or leading to a chronic cough and helps your clinician choose an appropriate treatment.

Seek emergency help for severe chest pressure, breathing difficulty, fainting, vomiting blood or black stools. Contact your maternity team promptly for persistent vomiting, inability to keep fluids down, severe abdominal pain, painful swallowing, dehydration, or reflux that is not controlled by the agreed plan. Pregnancy-related symptoms should be assessed in context rather than assumed to be simple reflux.

Ask which medicines and doses are suitable at your stage of pregnancy, whether your symptoms could reflect another condition such as a hiatus hernia, and how to protect sleep and hydration. Tell the clinician about chest symptoms, abdominal pain, vomiting, swallowing difficulty and every medicine or supplement you use.