Inside – Why is GERD so prevalent in pregnancy? Natural ways to manage GERD in pregnancy including some natural interventions which can be helpful in helping with food reflux during pregnancy

GERD short for Gastrointestinal Esophageal Reflux Disease or acid reflux is a common condition during pregnancy

The most common symptoms that pregnant females will experience are burning sensation in their stomach, or in their throat, or in their chest. The prevalence of GERD during pregnancy is reported to be between 17 and 45 %, which is much higher than otherwise.

Pregnancy is such a delicate state and there are so many changes happening in a woman’s body that the GERD symptoms can not only be more annoying but often can be so severe that can lead to nausea and vomiting.

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Why is it so prevalent in pregnancy?

Now there are some changes in pregnancy that increase the chances of GERD.

First of all the symptoms in GERD are because of the stomach contents regurgitating back into the food pipe and that causes that burning sensation.

In pregnancy because of changes in hormones especially higher progesterone, the lower oesophagal sphincter tone decreases which causes more easy reflux of stomach contents into the oesophagus. This is the reason for morning sickness during pregnancy.

Also, progesterone causes smooth muscle relaxation so it also decreased the gastric motility so the food sits longer in your stomach and has more chances of refluxing back into the oesophagus. In the Later half of the pregnancy when the uterus is enlarged it causes increased intraabdominal pressure and causes the reflux to get worse.

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Natural ways to manage GERD  in pregnancy

In pregnancy, everybody is cautious about taking any medicine or supplements because of any adverse reactions, and do I believe that this is the right approach.

But that doesn’t mean that pregnant females have to suffer through this issue and can’t do anything.

Here are some natural interventions which can be helpful in helping with food reflux during pregnancy:

1. Foods to avoid: There are certain foods which can cause GERD symptoms to get worse so should be avoided. Depending on the severity of the GERD issue, food to be avoided include caffeinated beverages like tea, coffee, sodas, also carbonated beverages. Tomatoes, citrus fruits and vegetables, onion/garlic, spicy foods, gluten and dairy.
2. Meals: Should stay away from high-fat meals. And should eat smaller and frequent meals. Now in pregnancy, we don’t want to restrict your meals too much because we want you to nourish your baby also. But if you can do frequent small meals it works a lot. Also instead of raw foods try to eat cooked food. Avoid frying your food, but steaming or sauteing will help with digestion. Also, avoid eating food 3 hr prior to bed.
3. Ginger: Now ginger can work great in some pregnant females while others it makes it worse. But it is worth trying it. Do not eat dried ginger but do fresh ginger if possible in the form of teas with meals and see if this helps. Good thing is that ginger will help with nausea during pregnancy also.
4. Movement: It is critical to have movement as part of your day. It doesn’t have to be vigorous exercise but 10 -15 minutes walk especially after meals will be very helpful for reducing the GERD symptoms
5. Meditation: Another thing which will be very helpful is meditation or stress management techniques. A short meditation in the morning and a short one before bedtime will help with the symptoms.
6. Raising your head while sleeping: You can also raise the head of your bed or rest your head on more than one pillow to relieve some of the symptoms. It will especially work if you have night symptoms of reflux symptoms.

Obviously, if none of the interventions are working for you then you should consult your physician about potential medications with can be safe during pregnancy.

GERD is a prevalent condition during pregnancy, and sometimes can be difficult to treat. There are some natural ways to take care of GERD and heartburn symptoms during pregnancy and that’s what we discussed above. Hope some of these remedies will be useful for you during this important time of pregnancy.

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