Why do I get heartburn during pregnancy?

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Heartburn in pregnancy hits most women, and it is two forces working together. Progesterone relaxes smooth muscle - including the valve between stomach and esophagus - so acid escapes upward more easily. As the uterus grows, it presses the stomach upward, making the leak worse. That is why heartburn often starts mildly in the second trimester and peaks in the third, per the NHS, and why it can be worst at night when lying flat.

Safe management starts with mechanics: small frequent meals instead of large ones, nothing to eat for two to three hours before bed, avoiding your personal triggers - fatty, spicy, acidic foods, chocolate, caffeine - and sleeping propped up on your left side. For medication, antacids and alginate products are considered safe in pregnancy and are the usual first step, but check with your provider or pharmacist before taking anything, and mention persistent heartburn at prenatal visits since stronger options exist when the basics fail.

The warning sign to know by heart: severe pain under the ribs on the right side, especially in the second half of pregnancy, with headache, vision changes, sudden swelling, or feeling very unwell - that combination can signal preeclampsia, not heartburn, and it needs same-day assessment. Heartburn is burning behind the breastbone; right-upper-belly pain is a different location and a different story.

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Why do I get heartburn during pregnancy?

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