Heartburn during pregnancy in the second trimester worries many women. What is the reason for such an unpleasant phenomenon and how to get rid of it? We will talk about this in the presented article.
general information
What is a condition like heartburn during pregnancy? The second trimester - it was during this period that the mentioned phenomenon worries future mothers most of all.
Heartburn is the feeling of discomfort and burning in the sternum. As a rule, it extends from the epigastric region (i.e. epigastric) to the very top. In rare cases, this condition is accompanied by pain in the neck.
It is believed that heartburn during pregnancy in the second trimester, as well as in other periods, occurs as a result of exposure to acid of the gastric juice on the mucous membrane. It enters the main digestive organ during gastroesophageal reflux (i.e., passive flow of fluid) or regurgitation (i.e., active flow of fluid). Thus, there is a strong irritation of the mucosa, which, in fact, is accompanied by an unpleasant burning sensation in the chest.
Causes of occurrence
Why does heartburn occur during pregnancy in the second trimester? The causes of this phenomenon should be identified only by an experienced doctor. A variety of deviations in the body can act as factors in the development of this condition.
As you know, the human esophagus is protected from the effects of gastric acid through a special valve - the sphincter. It is thanks to him that people with a healthy stomach and digestive system as a whole very rarely suffer from heartburn. However, with the onset of pregnancy, the female body undergoes many changes every day. For example, during this period, the tone of human muscle tissues, including the esophagus, changes quite significantly. Under the influence of a hormone such as progesterone, the muscles of the expectant mother are significantly weakened. As a result, the valve, which is a clamp in the normal state, begins to stretch, which entails the passage of stomach acid into the esophagus. This is the main reason why heartburn during pregnancy in the second trimester so often worries future women in labor.
Other factors
It should be noted that the full implementation of the function of the esophageal sphincter is prevented by an increase in the uterus and strong abdominal pressure. Therefore, heartburn during pregnancy in the second trimester should not worry future mothers. Doctors say that because of this, you should not panic, since such a phenomenon is a variant of the norm.
It should also be noted that heartburn in women often occurs due to the lack of the necessary amount of time in the esophagus, which is required for proper digestion of food. Usually this is due to the fact that due to the increased level of hormones in the pregnant body, muscle contractions, which are responsible for the advancement of food, are greatly slowed down. Thus, the digestion process, as well as the breakdown of food can take much more time than before the conception of the baby. This leads to the fact that women constantly have heartburn during pregnancy in the second trimester. In addition, this state of affairs often provokes the development of indigestion.
Summing up all of the above, it can be noted that the cause of heartburn in future women in labor is:
- relief of the sphincter of the esophagus;
- reduction in the amount of time for the process of digestion of food;
- significant increase in the uterus.
Heartburn Features
What can be taken from heartburn during pregnancy in the first, second or third trimester? We will tell about this a little lower.
As you know, this condition in future women in childbirth most often occurs due to overeating (in 80% of cases). Starting from 12 weeks, the fetus is actively growing, which contributes to an increase in the uterus. It is she who gradually presses the stomach to the machines of the abdominal cavity, which immediately affects the rate of splitting and digestion of food.
Too many women have no idea about how to eat properly during gestation. Most of them continue to eat in the same quantities as before conception, and sometimes much more. Thus, their stomach is overloaded, as a result of which it does not have time to digest products in a timely manner, which leads to heartburn and indigestion.
How to get rid?
What can be taken from heartburn during pregnancy in the second trimester? In some cases, the use of any drugs is impractical (for example, when overeating). So that this condition does not bother future mothers, you should reduce the amount of food consumed at one time.
It should also be noted that from 5-6 weeks a woman is obliged to change her diet. The volume of breakfast, lunch and dinner should be reduced, and the frequency of food intake should be increased. So a day should sit at the table about 5-6 times.
Heartburn during pregnancy in the second trimester: how to treat?
About how to get rid of such an unpleasant sensation, few women know. Although almost every one of them knows that taking a weak solution of table soda can extinguish the “fire” in the esophagus. However, according to most experts, the use of such a remedy can adversely affect the health of the future mother. This is due to the fact that during the combination of soda with gastric contents, the so-called carbon dioxide is formed, which only increases the excretion of juice. As a result of this heartburn returns. In addition, the absorption of carbon dioxide into the systemic circulation can easily contribute to the violation of acid-base balance.
So what measures should be taken if the patient is very worried about heartburn during pregnancy in the second trimester? What to drink in this case? With constant burning in the stomach, doctors recommend taking special medications that are not absorbed into the systemic circulation, do not change the acid-base balance, and at the same time act envelopingly.
Most often, in this condition, specialists prescribe antacids to women. These are drugs that neutralize the acid of the juice of the stomach. They are not absorbed into the blood and therefore can not adversely affect the developing fetus.
Sometimes doctors prescribe future pharmacological agents of a different pharmacological group. However, they should be used with extreme caution and strictly according to instructions.
Allowed remedies for burning sensation in the esophagus
From heartburn during pregnancy at home, you can take the following medications:
- "Maalox." It is an antacid that has absorbent and enveloping properties. It absorbs an excessive amount of gas and acid, as a result of pain in the upper digestive system is eliminated for several hours. This medicine is taken orally one and a half hours before a meal, or when a burning sensation occurs.
- Almagel is also an antacid. It acts for a long time, regulating the acidity of hydrochloric acid. Due to the fact that during the action of this medicine, carbon dioxide bubbles do not occur, the secondary release of hydrochloric acid does not occur. Take this remedy inside 40 minutes before eating.
- "Rennie." This is a gastroprotective and antacid medicine. Its active elements are magnesium and calcium carbonate. After the tablets enter the stomach cavity, these substances begin to interact with hydrochloric acid, which ultimately leads to its neutralization and the formation of water, as well as water-soluble salts of magnesium and calcium. As a result, the amount of mucus in the stomach increases. It protects the cells of the main digestive organ from the harmful effects of hydrochloric acid.
- "Lansoprazole." This drug is classified as a proton pump inhibitor. It is safe and is usually prescribed for very severe heartburn in pregnant women, which is accompanied by vomiting and nausea. In addition, this remedy can be prescribed if the use of antacid drugs has not given any result.
- "Ranitidine" is an antagonist of H2-histamine receptors. This is perhaps the only drug in this group, designed to treat heartburn in pregnant women. It is prescribed in cases where antacids have proven to be powerless.
- Gaviscon is a gastroprotective and antacid agent. These are pretty easy-to-digest tablets. They must be taken after meals and in the evening, before bedtime, 1-2 pieces. After it enters the stomach, the active substances of this drug immediately react with stomach acid. As a result, a specific gel is formed. It is he who has a softening effect on the walls of the esophagus when acid enters there, and also eliminates the burning sensation.
It is imperative to remember that from heartburn during pregnancy at home, only approved drugs should be taken. In this case, it is necessary to consult with your doctor.
Heartburn during pregnancy: folk methods of getting rid
With a constant burning sensation in the sternum, many women use folk remedies. This is due to the fact that most of them do not trust traditional medicines.
So, in order to get rid of heartburn during the period of gestation, we recommend using one of the following tips:
- About 20 g of centaury grass pour 600 ml of water, and then boil and let it brew for 3-4 hours. Strain the resulting solution and take inside one large spoon three times a day. Such a remedy helps well if a burning sensation occurs in the throat.
- Approximately 20-30 ordinary heather pour 500 ml of water and boil for 5 minutes, then let it brew for several hours. Over time, take the finished solution in a large spoon before meals.
- About 2 or 3 cups of ginger or chamomile tea after eating will serve as an excellent prevention of heartburn.
- With a burning sensation, oats or barley (several grains) should be chewed for 5-7 minutes, while swallowing saliva.
- Mix an equal amount of yarrow herb, marsh cinnamon and St. John's wort, and then pour boiling water and let it brew for three hours. Drink the resulting solution in half a glass for heartburn and stomach pain. By the way, yarrow is especially effective if a burning sensation is observed constantly.
- An excellent folk remedy for heartburn is freshly squeezed juice of raw potatoes. It is usually taken in the first trimester of pregnancy. For this, the tubers are peeled, rubbed on a small grater, and then squeezed using multilayer gauze.
- In a mortar, grind sweet almonds and walnuts in equal proportions. After this, take the resulting mixture for a week, one dessert spoon.
- The crushed eggshell helps with heartburn. For this, the product is boiled hard-boiled, and then cleaned. Grinding the shell, it is taken three times a day for half a dessert spoon for five days. According to future mothers, such a tool is especially effective in the last month of pregnancy.
- If you have heartburn, you can drink weak alkaline water. It should also be noted that such a drink has a good effect on the digestive system.
- With heartburn, early in the morning on an empty stomach, you need to eat a little horse sorrel.
- Coal powder, taken with water, also eliminates the burning sensation in the chest. This method is especially relevant in the second trimester of pregnancy.
In the event that none of the above methods helped you, then you can improve your condition with germinated green buckwheat (a few small spoons per day).
Does hydrochloric acid affect the fetus?
Now you know what constitutes heartburn during pregnancy in the second trimester. This condition does not affect the child. This is the opinion most doctors adhere to. They argue that a burning sensation when bearing a fetus is quite normal. About 89% of all expectant mothers suffer from it. Therefore, you should not worry about the negative impact on the baby. Heartburn causes discomfort only to the woman herself. Therefore, to eliminate it, you should definitely consult your doctor.
Recommendations
If folk remedies do not help, then resort to the use of traditional drugs. Although they should not be abused either. As you know, all medicines contain chemical compounds that can adversely affect not only the health of the expectant mother, but also the development of her baby.