What is heartburn? Heartburn – a feeling of warmth or burning sensation in the lower retrosternal or epigastric region, due to the throwing of gastric contents into the lower esophagus and irritation of the mucous membrane of the latter. Heartburn – is not an independent disease, but the main symptom of the disease, called reflux esophagitis. Why Heartburn often occurs during pregnancy? Reflux esophagitis – an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the lower division esophagus, which borders with the stomach. As already mentioned, the disease develops as a result of a throw into the esophagus of gastric contents. No precise data on how often reflux esophagitis develops during pregnancy, but we know that complaints of heartburn, placing more than half of pregnant women (80%), and heartburn more often concerned about women in the second half of pregnancy, develops after eating, lasts from several minutes to several hours, repeated several times a day. Let us see why heartburn is so 'loves' pregnant women. The esophagus is separated from the stomach of lower esophageal sphincter – a circular muscle, which plays the role of 'gatekeeper' closing at reducing the opening between the stomach and esophagus.
During pregnancy, increases in blood levels of the hormone progesterone, which relaxes smooth muscle organs, including the lower esophageal sphincter (ie, wound helps prevent gastric contents into the esophagus). In addition, with the growth of the uterus increases intra-abdominal pressure, also contribute to reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus. One should also not forget that pregnancy can contribute to the manifestation of a number of latent diseases of the digestive system, which is a symptom of heartburn.