Basics

• Heartburn is a burning and uncomfortable sensation in the chest. Many pregnant women experience heartburn throughout their pregnancy, but it is most common in the third trimester. Heartburn in pregnancy, like most other pregnancy symptoms, can be blamed on hormone fluctuations.
  
  

Causes

• When a woman gets pregnant, many hormone levels in the body change to support the development of the fetus. Many times these hormone changes lead to irritating symptoms, and heartburn is one of them. According to the American Pregnancy Association, the increase in the hormone progesterone causes the valve between the stomach and esophagus to relax. This allows the stomach acid to travel back into the esophagus and irritate the lining, causing a burning sensation in the chest.
  
  Progesterone relaxes many muscles throughout the body. Because of its relaxation effect, the esophagus and stomach do not work as efficiently as they did prior to pregnancy. Digestion is slowed, and this can also increase the incidence of heartburn.
  
  Heartburn can be worse in the third trimester because along with the increase in progesterone, the uterus is growing at a tremendous rate. The growing uterus causes the stomach and other organs to move from their original location in the abdomen. This can cause increased pressure on the stomach, which also contributes to the acids in the stomach being pushed up into the esophagus.
  
  

Relief

• Although progesterone is necessary for a healthy pregnancy, a pregnant woman does not have to suffer through heartburn. There are several remedies that can be tried to ease the burning sensation of heartburn or eliminate it completely.
  
  The American Pregnancy Association recommends that pregnant women add yogurt or milk to their diet when heartburn hits. Women can also try to drink warm milk mixed with a spoonful of honey.
  
  

Avoidance

• It is ideal to avoid heartburn rather than just try to treat the symptoms. The American Pregnancy Association has guidelines to avoid heartburn. The first is to eat five to six smaller meals per day to avoid fullness of the stomach. Second, wait at least an hour after eating before lying down and let gravity help to pass the food through the stomach. Last, eliminate spicy and fatty foods from your diet, as these foods tend to induce heartburn more than others.
  
  

Medication

• If these actions do not help with heartburn, speak to your doctor. He may recommend over-the-counter antacids. If heartburn is severe, a prescription medication can be prescribed. Do not treat heartburn with over-the-counter or prescription medications without speaking to your doctor first.