Aging and Disease

If you sit and talk to any group of pregnant women anywhere in the world about
the various discomforts they must endure during pregnancy they will all likely
agree on one that is worst than most. What is it? Acid reflux. Many years ago
there was an old wives tale that women who suffered from heartburn would give
birth to a child with a full head of hair. This, of course, is purely mythical.
That aside acid reflux is still a hugely annoying thing to have to endure while
you are pregnant.

Reasons For Acid Reflux In Pregnant Women There are several reasons why pregnant
women are more likely to experience heartburn:

1. Hormone levels in a pregnant woman are far higher than a woman who is not
pregnant. This dramatic increase in hormone levels can have a huge effect on
every aspect of your body and especially your digestive system. The most common
effect is that the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) can loosen up a bit. This is
a type of valve which typically holds the food in your stomach. If this valve is
loose then acid can flow back upwards into your gullet (esophagus). You will then
experience heartburn to a varying degree.

2. During pregnancy your body will change shape. This normally does not happen
until later in pregnancy. When these changes do happen your stomach area will
keep expanding and this expansion is what can lead to acid reflux. Your stomach
enlarging in this way puts far more pressure on the esophagus which can then
lead to indigestion and acid reflux in general.

Is There Anything You Can Do?

There is always something you can do to help
yourself! Firstly watch what you eat. Citrus foods, mint, spicy foods, fried
foods, and chocolate should all be avoided as much as possible.

Eat smaller meals too.

This will help a lot if you experience a lot of
morning (and daytime, evening and nighttime) sickness too. If you eat several
small meals throughout the day you are far less likely to experience heartburn.
Your body will be able to process those small meals far easier than 2 or 3 large
ones.

Correct Your Posture

Believe it or not practicing correct posture can help an
awful lot with acid reflux. Be especially careful of how you bend. While
pregnant you should always bend down at the knees - although later you will have
no choice but to do so as your stomach expands. However earlier on in your
pregnancy bending down at the knees will put far less pressure on your stomach
and therefore your esophagus. This can and will help you with the discomforts of
indigestion.

You can fight back against acid reflux during your pregnancy. You simply have to
choose to. Do not suffer in silence however and do not ever be afraid to consult
with your doctor for medication if the heartburn becomes too painful to bear.

Tags: Cancer, Disease