The occurrence of belching during pregnancy in the early and late stages

04/03/2018 Category: Diseases and complicationsAuthor: Tatyana Piteryakova

The body of a pregnant woman experiences enormous stress. The baby grows in the mother’s belly, crowding the internal organs and hindering the woman’s movements. At the same time, she constantly wants to eat (especially in the last trimester). All this often leads to regular belching, causing discomfort to the expectant mother.

• What does a burp “tell”?
  Burping “rotten eggs”
• Belching food
• Belching with bitterness
• Sour belching
• Belching with a raw "fishy" odor

Causes

Belching occurs when a certain amount of air escapes from the stomach cavity through the esophagus. In a healthy person, it forms after overeating. And during pregnancy, all organs of the female body begin to work in a slightly different mode. The uterus grows in size over time and requires more space. Gradually, it begins to put pressure on nearby organs, so the appearance of belching should be considered a logical consequence of such processes.

Although belching cannot cause serious discomfort for a person, sometimes it can be the first signal of serious pathologies . Under no circumstances should you try to diagnose yourself. This should be done by an experienced doctor. In such a situation, you can only observe to understand how this condition manifests itself.

If this phenomenon bothers you repeatedly, and the air coming out has a sour taste, then most likely this is due to changes in the composition of the gastric juice. This is often observed with gastritis, which tends to worsen during pregnancy. Experts call the cause of this disease the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, which is activated when the immune system is weakened, so expectant mothers are especially susceptible to gastritis.

Belching during early pregnancy may occur due to reflux syndrome. Its appearance is usually associated with the development of inflammation in the esophagus. If this pathology is not treated in a timely manner, then in the future, foci of inflammation may spread to other areas, which will only worsen the pregnant woman’s condition.

If belching occurs too often, then it is necessary to carefully study the composition of the air that leaves the esophagus. If there is a taste of rotten eggs, then the most likely cause of this condition is a long retention of food in the stomach, where fermentation processes occur. A similar condition is often observed when the functioning of the digestive organs is disrupted.

In what cases is belching a symptom of illness?

Despite the fact that belching is completely harmless, in some cases it becomes a symptom of serious pathologies. But you don’t need to invent terrible diseases for yourself - only a doctor can diagnose them. You can only pay attention to the features of belching during pregnancy.

Repeated sour belching indicates changes in the composition of gastric juice. A similar symptom occurs against the background of gastritis, a disease that often worsens in pregnant women. The culprit of gastritis is the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, which becomes active when the immune system deteriorates, which often occurs in expectant mothers. Read more about the treatment of gastritis during pregnancy →

Belching in the early stages of pregnancy can be caused by reflux syndrome. Its cause is inflammatory processes in the esophagus. Reflux is dangerous due to the growth and ulceration of existing foci of inflammation, so the pathology requires mandatory treatment.

If you are worried about frequent belching during pregnancy, you need to pay attention to the quality of the air leaving the esophagus.

For example, the taste and smell of rotten eggs in your mouth will be an alarming symptom - most likely, food in the stomach lingers longer than it should, undergoing fermentation processes. In this case, we can talk about pathologies of the functioning and structure of the digestive organs, as well as intestinal obstruction.

Provoking factors

Most often, belching occurs at the most unexpected moment and is uncontrollable. The appearance of this symptom during pregnancy can be explained by several reasons:

• Increase physical activity. When a woman often bends over or carries heavy objects, this can provoke more active formation of gases in the digestive tract. Therefore, pregnant women should limit any loads.
• Overeating or undereating. Belching rotten eggs during pregnancy may be a consequence of poor nutrition. Every woman needs to pay attention to this point and, if necessary, consult a specialist.
• Pressure on the stomach from the uterus. This condition often occurs in late pregnancy, when the enlarged uterus begins to put pressure on nearby organs, including the stomach.
• Hormonal changes in the body. During the period of bearing a child, there is an increase in progesterone levels, as a result of which the tone of the muscles of the digestive tract deteriorates. Evacuation of food occurs more slowly than usual, which can explain the appearance of gases that begin to be eliminated from the stomach through the esophagus.

There are many cases where belching becomes one of the first symptoms of pregnancy. But focusing only on it, it is wrong to make such a diagnosis. You need to carefully observe yourself and understand what foods such a reaction occurs to. If these are familiar dishes that a healthy woman tolerates relatively well, then such an assumption can be considered correct.

When belching is a sign of health problems

However, burping is not always normal and is associated with changes in the body of a pregnant woman. With hormonal changes, uterine enlargement and other natural factors, it has a distinctive feature - the absence of an unpleasant odor. Belching air does not cause pain; the only problem with it is the aesthetic side.

Sometimes it is a symptom of health problems that require immediate treatment. Such belching during early pregnancy has its own characteristics. It may indicate the presence of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Sometimes a woman had gastritis and other stomach diseases before pregnancy, but either did not know about their existence or was not bothered by any symptoms. During pregnancy, almost all chronic diseases tend to worsen.

In addition, during pregnancy, a woman’s immunity is weakened, so all internal organs, including the digestive system, are more vulnerable. To determine that belching is a symptom of a disease and seek medical help, you need to know what types of this phenomenon there are and recognize them.

Symptoms of pathology

During pregnancy, the expectant mother may be worried about more than just belching. If this is a consequence of a serious illness, then the woman will have other complaints related to impaired functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Additional signs of the disease may be:

• nausea;
• heartburn;
• vomit;
• constipation;
• stomach pain.

, other accompanying phenomena may be added to air belching during pregnancy

• bitter taste in the mouth;
• frequent contraction of the diaphragm;
• release of gases from the esophagus with unpleasant sounds and smell.

All these symptoms should not go unnoticed by the doctor. They will help him get the most complete picture of the pregnant woman’s condition and determine the pathology.

What does a burp “tell”

Belching while carrying a baby is a completely harmless phenomenon, but some of its signs may indicate serious pathologies.

Burping "rotten eggs"

Improper processing of food in the stomach causes rotting of stagnant remains. In this case, the proteins break down slowly - for this reason, a hydrogen sulfide smell appears, which is popularly called the smell of “rotten eggs.” Typically, such belching is typical for the middle of the second trimester of pregnancy. Sometimes it gives way to heartburn, especially if the expectant mother takes the wrong foods:

• fast foods;
• fat;
• roast.

Belching, diarrhea and other unpleasant sensations, indicating a problem with the stomach, in this case bother the expectant mother from several minutes to three hours. In the last trimester of pregnancy, belching of “rotten eggs” is caused by the growing baby squeezing the area of ​​the digestive tract. The same stagnation of food in the stomach occurs. This symptom manifests itself more often when a woman is in a lying position: at this time, the fetus puts especially strong pressure on the stomach.

When a pregnant woman is in a lying position, the fetus puts especially strong pressure on the stomach, which provokes belching of “rotten eggs”

Rotten burping may be associated with the presence of toxicosis or stomach diseases:

• ulcer;
• inflammation of the mucous membrane;
• improper functioning of the liver and gall bladder.

If, when belching rotten food, a woman is bothered by vomiting or diarrhea, then it is possible that the expectant mother has eaten low-quality food. In this case, do not self-medicate, but call an ambulance, as the problem may affect the baby’s health.

Once I had a burp of “rotten eggs”, which was accompanied by severe vomiting, and after it came diarrhea. This condition lasted 3-4 hours, after which my husband sent me to the hospital, and the doctors declared poisoning. When I was “cleansed” completely, I immediately felt better, and I no longer remembered the belching. Additionally, I was not prescribed any medications: my body sorted itself out. Doctors said that the baby was not in danger.

Belching food

Belching mixed with food in a pregnant woman often occurs due to slower peristalsis, which leads to retention of food in the stomach and esophagus. This problem causes stretching of the esophagus. Most often, unpleasant symptoms remain after pregnancy. Eating small portions and increasing the physical activity of the expectant mother will help get rid of the problem. She needs to take leisurely walks: this will help improve intestinal motility and speed up the release of food from the stomach.

Leisurely walks will help activate intestinal motility and speed up the exit of food from the stomach of the expectant mother

I belched food after I overate sweets while pregnant. At the same time, my stomach hurt terribly, and I was seriously scared. But the condition quickly passed, and the next morning I forgot about the belching, but since then I have not consumed sweets in large quantities.

Belching with bitterness

Bile enters the esophagus and oral cavity, so when belching, the expectant mother feels bitterness, and this happens with sphincter insufficiency: gastroesophageal and duodenogastric reflux. The following diseases provoke bitter belching:

• chronic gastritis;
• stomach ulcer;
• JVP (biliary dyskinesia);
• cholelithiasis;
• cholecystitis;
• enterocolitis;
• neoplasms in the digestive tract;
• helminthic infestation.

Sometimes this condition is accompanied by a sour taste in the mouth and heartburn. However, if such a reaction is an isolated or rare occurrence, then it may not be dangerous: bitter belching also occurs in healthy people when overeating. If this problem has become frequent, and it is accompanied by abdominal pain, then do not delay a visit to a gastroenterologist.

Sour belching

Sour burping is usually associated with the presence of GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). This pathology involves relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter and periodic reflux of stomach contents back into the esophagus. Along with sour belching, the expectant mother may experience heartburn. Usually the problem occurs in the second half of pregnancy, and after childbirth it can completely go away. In case of chronic pathology of the digestive tract, sour belching may appear at the beginning of pregnancy. Most often this happens due to the following features:

• consumption of foods that enhance the production of gastric juice (fresh vegetables and fruits, sour berries, coffee, juices, tea, chocolate);
• overeating;
• eating while lying down;
• low physical activity;
• drinking alcohol;
• taking certain medications.

Chronic heartburn is the most common symptom of GERD

With the constant reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus, inflammation develops. Pepsin, hydrochloric acid and other enzymes destroy the mucous membrane of the esophagus, which leads to reflux esophagitis (damage to the lower esophagus due to the entry of food from the stomach into it). Sometimes sour belching is provoked by the reflux of duodenal contents into the esophagus. This problem is associated with improper functioning of the gastric sphincter.

If the expectant mother experiences sour belching, heartburn and GERD, this may indicate the presence of the following diseases:

• stomach or duodenal ulcers;
• chronic gastritis;
• hiatal hernia.

Diagnostic methods

If belching during pregnancy does not go away for a long time and causes severe discomfort, then you need to make an appointment with a gastroenterologist. After the patient describes all her complaints, the doctor will prescribe an examination.

The most effective diagnostic method is fibrogastroscopy. Using it, you can find out about the condition of the esophagus, stomach and intestines and determine the presence of disturbances in their functioning. Thanks to this method, it is possible to identify gastritis, gastric ulcers, polyps, gastroduodenitis and other diseases of the internal organs of the gastrointestinal tract.

The examination takes no more than 15 minutes. To do this, a flexible hose with a light at the end is inserted through the patient’s mouth into the esophagus. This procedure is completely painless, since the oropharynx is pre-lubricated with Lidocaine. After examining the internal organs, the hose is removed. If any pathology is suspected, the doctor may additionally take tissue samples for analysis.

How to get rid of belching?

Despite the fact that in many cases pregnancy and belching go hand in hand right up to childbirth, this unpleasant and intrusive phenomenon does not bring joy to pregnant women. For this reason, it is important to know ways to get rid of an unpleasant symptom.

First of all, we will answer the question “what to do” related to manifestations of non-pathological origin:

1. The most important factor is nutritional adjustments. You need to eat small meals, avoiding overeating, and also try to eat food that does not cause fermentation or excessive gas formation. Minimize the consumption of grapes, legumes, cabbage, sweets, baked goods, etc. However, if you really want something, you can and should pamper yourself, just in small quantities;
2. The second requirement during pregnancy to avoid belching is to give up carbonated drinks, especially since most of them are not beneficial;
3. Even if you eat properly and healthy food, after eating do not rush to take a horizontal position, it is better to take a walk for 20-30 minutes, and if you don’t have the strength or desire, just sit in a comfortable position.

If we are talking about pathological belching, that is, caused by gastrointestinal diseases, treatment should be prescribed by a doctor based on a preliminary examination. Belching during pregnancy can only be treated by a doctor, since it is very important to choose medications that will not harm the unborn baby or jeopardize the pregnancy.

Traditional methods

In addition to the recommendations described and some types of medications, you can fight belching during pregnancy using traditional methods. Let's look at the most effective and safe recipes:

1. One of the best remedies is cranberry. If you don’t have fresh berries on hand, you can make a fruit drink from frozen ones or add some cranberries to your tea;
2. Ginger root also helps well, which can be eaten in small quantities, crushed, or brewed into a decoction or added to tea;
3. Finally, a decoction of cardamom and plantain will help eliminate unpleasant symptoms.

Before using any traditional medicine, even a seemingly harmless one, consult your doctor to avoid individual side effects.

As a result, I would like to remind you once again that if you are worried about frequent belching, even in the absence of other symptoms, you should consult a doctor. In addition, a pregnant woman can burp even in a public place; this process is uncontrollable, so you should not be embarrassed or try to restrain yourself, as you will only harm yourself.

Treatment options

If belching with a sour taste and the smell of rotten eggs constantly bothers a pregnant woman, then she needs to be examined by a gastroenterologist as soon as possible. At the appointment, the doctor will determine what is causing this condition and select the most effective treatment.

Not all patients require drug therapy. If such a need arises, pregnant women are prescribed medications that are safe for the fetus. Since nausea and belching during pregnancy are often associated with gastritis, Maalox, Phosphalugel, and Rennie are prescribed to eliminate it.

With the help of these drugs, you can not only eliminate belching and nausea, but also relieve a pregnant woman from pain and normalize the acidity of gastric juice.

Nutrition adjustments

If there is no urgent need to prescribe medications, it may be enough to simply change the diet and increase the number of meals. In order for the problem to disappear, you need to remove foods that stimulate fermentation in the stomach from your diet. These are cabbage, legumes, baked goods and grapes. It is also necessary to minimize the consumption of brown bread, potatoes and oatmeal, which contain a lot of starch.

The appearance of frequent belching with air can be associated not only with the consumption of certain foods. It can be caused by carbonated drinks and dry food. Bad habits also play an important role in this. Smoking and drinking alcohol can not only cause belching in a pregnant woman, but also negatively affect the fetus.

Pregnant women are advised to switch to a fractional diet - they need to eat 5 times a day in small portions. Before each meal you should drink a glass of water. This will help avoid overeating.

Food must be chewed slowly and thoroughly. The last meal should be two to three hours before bedtime. If the feeling of hunger does not go away, then you can drink a glass of kefir.

A diet for pregnant women requires the inclusion of fermented milk products, fresh vegetables and fruits in the diet. If you follow these recommendations, you can very quickly restore the functioning of your digestive system and get rid of burps with the smell of rotten eggs.

Folk remedies

You can get rid of belching and other unpleasant symptoms associated with disruption of the gastrointestinal tract not only with the help of medications, but also with folk recipes . Among them, decoctions and infusions from medicinal plants are especially effective:

• A decoction of plantain and cardamom will help quickly eliminate constant belching, nausea and vomiting. The medicine should be taken daily, one tablespoon before each meal.
• A proven remedy is ginger. If you regularly consume this herbal product in small quantities, you can restore the functioning of the digestive system and avoid the recurrence of belching.
• Cranberry has a good effect, which is recommended for all expectant mothers. This berry contains many beneficial microelements that can help relieve the symptoms of gastritis. It is recommended to consume cranberries fresh. It is enough to eat a small handful of berries every day to solve stomach problems for a long time.
• For burps that taste like rotten eggs, tea made from lemon balm and peppermint is helpful. This healing drink has a calming effect, restores the functioning of the digestive system, and relieves cramps in the stomach.

Although most traditional recipes are safe, you should still consult your doctor before using them. If you make a mistake with the dosage, such treatment can negatively affect the course of pregnancy and fetal development.

Which doctor should I contact if I have belching during pregnancy?

Constant belching of sour or rotten eggs during pregnancy is a reason to contact a gastroenterologist. The specialist will explain to the expectant mother what could have caused this symptom and tell her how to get rid of it.

Drug therapy is not always necessary. But if the need arises, treatment is carried out with drugs that are safe for the fetus. Most often, expectant mothers are diagnosed with gastritis. Effective medications in this case are: Maalox, Phosphalugel, Rennie. Thanks to them, the acidity of gastric juice decreases, pain, belching and nausea disappear during pregnancy. Read more about using Rennie during pregnancy →

Possible consequences

Not all women burp during pregnancy. In most cases, it is episodic and does not cause serious discomfort. In some women, this condition occurs only during the first weeks, while in others it may occur in the last trimester.

But there are cases when such a symptom can bother a woman throughout pregnancy, on the basis of which we can talk about the presence of serious diseases of the digestive system. This is typical for those women who previously had chronic gastrointestinal diseases. Therefore, such patients during the period of exacerbation are prescribed special treatment to alleviate painful symptoms.

Not all women tolerate pregnancy equally well. For some, this condition causes certain changes in the body that can make the condition worse. One of these symptoms is belching. Not everyone can say exactly why they burp after eating. This can be explained by various reasons: for some it may be the result of pregnancy, while for others it is caused by severe diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

But regardless of the reasons for which the belching occurred, each such case requires individual treatment and only together with a specialist. It is not enough to know how to burp. Without a full examination, it is impossible to say exactly what is causing this condition, and therefore it will not be easy to select effective and safe drugs to eliminate it.

Forecast

Not all expectant mothers suffer from burping during pregnancy. For many, it occurs sporadically and does not cause serious discomfort. In some women, belching, as a sign and consequence of pregnancy, occurs in the first weeks, in others - in the last trimester, shortly before the onset of labor.

Sometimes this phenomenon is observed throughout pregnancy, as a result of dysfunction of the digestive organs. In these cases, we are usually talking about chronic gastrointestinal diseases that the woman already had before pregnancy and worsened during her period. Treatment is selected for the expectant mother to minimize unpleasant symptoms.

Most often, belching and other digestive problems go away after the baby is born, since all physiological factors affecting their development are canceled. If this does not happen, you need to contact a gastroenterologist. The presence of persistent belching in the postpartum period may be a sign of pathologies of the digestive system.

Author: Olga Rogozhkina, obstetrician-gynecologist, especially for Mama66.ru

What to do if you constantly burp

If frequent belching occurs and the development of serious diseases is excluded, you can try to deal with the discomfort using simple methods and traditional medicine. At the initial stage, it is necessary to follow a diet and exclude all harmful foods (flour, confectionery, legumes, carbonated drinks, salty, sour, pickled foods).

Doctors recommend following the simple recommendations discussed in the list below:

• avoiding severe overeating, organizing split meals up to 7 times a day in small portions;
• drinking one glass of purified still water after a large meal an hour after eating;
• prohibition of eating before bedtime. It is preferable to have dinner 2-3 hours before going to bed;
• sufficient fluid intake during the day (at least 1.5 liters);
• providing a varied menu with a balanced content of fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, cereals;
• preparing tea with ginger or mint, which has a beneficial effect on the digestion process in the body;
• taking a special decoction of flax or oatmeal. These products coat the stomach walls well, cleanse and have an anti-inflammatory effect.

Prevention

Prevention involves following the instructions of the attending physician, following a diet for pregnant women, and giving up bad habits. The expectant mother should create a daily routine and try to stick to it. The daily routine should include daily walks in the fresh air, breathing exercises and physical therapy (in accordance with the stage of pregnancy). The clothes of the expectant mother should not be tight to the body. During the period of bearing a baby, it is advisable for her to choose dresses made from natural materials.

Video: belching air during pregnancy in the early and late stages

It is very interesting to watch pregnant women: they behave naturally and somehow very childishly. Expectant mothers may cry because of a minor problem, for example, if they accidentally burped in a public place. Of course, something needs to be done about this trouble. Moreover, it can be eliminated quickly, and diet, daily walks, and special physical exercises that are chosen in accordance with the stage of pregnancy will help with this. If all this does not help, then the doctor will recommend medications that are safe for the baby.