Most pregnant women often experience symptoms of stomach acid disease (GERD), especially heartburn. Heartburn is a burning sensation in the chest due to increased stomach acid. Symptoms often get worse with increasing gestational age. The cause is hormonal changes during pregnancy which makes digestive work slow.
An enlarged fetus and an enlarged uterus can also cause food and stomach acid to press up into the esophagus or esophagus. The esophagus is the channel between the mouth and stomach.
Under normal digestive conditions, food descends into the stomach through the esophagus and passes through the lower esophageal valve (Lower Esophageal Sphincter - LES). The LES valve will open to put food into the stomach and close to prevent stomach acid from rising. While in the case of GERD during pregnancy, the LES response is not as strict as in normal conditions, so that stomach acid is more easily raised.
Handling GERD in pregnant women is actually the same as sufferers in general who focus on lifestyle changes. Some of them, namely:
- Do not smoke.
- Change your eating habits before becoming pregnant. Now it is recommended to eat small portions, but often. Don't lie down right after eating, wait 2-3 hours.
- Don't eat snacks in the middle of the night.
- Avoid eating foods that are at risk of worsening GERD, such as spicy, sour, chocolate, mint, and coffee.
- If the symptoms of GERD recur at night, you can lie down by lifting your head 15-20 cm higher. Use a pillow to raise your upper body when sleeping. Lie on your left side.
- Consumption of yogurt or a glass of milk when you feel symptoms appear.
Meanwhile, some types of medicines that may be prescribed for pregnant women to treat heartburn or heartburn during pregnancy, include:
- Alginate Some types of antacids are made with a combination of alginate-type drugs that can help alleviate digestive disorders due to stomach acid. In most cases, a combination of antacids and alginates can effectively treat symptoms of indigestion during pregnancy.
- Antacids, which are types of drugs that work quickly help relieve digestive disorders by neutralizing stomach acid. If you are prescribed antacids and iron supplements, don't take them at the same time because they can interfere with your body's ability to absorb iron.
- Omeprazole is usually prescribed to be taken once a day and symptoms should improve in five days. If not, maybe the dose needs to be increased. In some cases, omeprazole can cause side effects, such as headaches, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.
- Ranitidin Ranitidine is usually prescribed to be taken twice a day.
The drugs above do not mean you have to take them all. Consult your doctor about medication needs and dosages for your condition, and follow the instructions for using the drug. You will need serious medical treatment if experiencing heartburn makes you often wake up at night, are often recurrent, or accompanied by other symptoms. The symptoms in question are coughing, weight loss, difficulty swallowing, or black stool
