Ways to help heartburn during pregnancy

Pregnancy hormones can relax the muscle that normally keeps stomach contents below the food pipe. As the pregnancy progresses, the growing womb can also increase pressure around the stomach. This may allow acidic contents to move upwards, causing a burning feeling behind the breastbone, a sour taste, or discomfort after meals. Heartburn is a common presentation of acid reflux, but similar upper-abdominal symptoms can also occur with gastritis, a hiatus hernia, or a peptic ulcer.

Try eating smaller portions more often and avoid lying down soon after meals. Sit upright while eating and remain upright afterwards; raising the head of the bed may help symptoms that disturb sleep. Notice whether rich, spicy, acidic, or caffeinated foods make symptoms worse, and reduce those triggers if they affect you. Choose comfortable clothing around the abdomen. Speak with your maternity clinician or pharmacist before taking an antacid, alginate, or acid reflux medication, because not every product is suitable during pregnancy and some medicines can affect how other treatments work.

Arrange medical advice if symptoms are frequent, severe, worsening, or preventing eating or sleep, or if over-the-counter measures do not help. Seek urgent care for chest pressure, trouble breathing, vomiting blood, black stools, repeated vomiting, severe abdominal pain, or difficulty swallowing. During pregnancy, contact your maternity team promptly if you cannot keep fluids down or feel suddenly very unwell.

Ask which food and drink changes fit your symptoms, whether a pregnancy-safe antacid or acid reflux medication is appropriate, and whether another condition should be considered if the burning is persistent.