Does my heartburn during my pregnancy affect my baby in any way?
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A link between heartburn itself and the health of your baby has not been established. However, experiencing heartburn is sometimes associated with behaviors that could be harmful to the fetus. For example, taking some medications for heartburn may not be safe, especially early in a pregnancy. Moreover, having heartburn may lead to poor eating habits, which could deprive your baby of essential nutrition.
About the expert: Goutham Rao, M.D., is clinical director at the Weight Management and Wellness Center, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh (of UPMC); associate professor in the department of pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (UPMC); and family physician at Bloomfield-Garfield Family Health Center in Pittsburgh.
Rao has served as director of medical informatics at UPMC St. Margaret Hospital. He is course director for introduction to medical decision-making at the UPMC, associate editor at the American College of Physicians Journal Club, and editorial board member and acquisitions editor at the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Home Study Self-Assessment (HSSA) program in Kansas City, Mo. Rao serves as assistant editor of the Journal of Family Practice and editorial board member of Family Medicine. Rao has also served as a member of the American Gastroenterological Association Institute/Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement®/National Committee for Quality Assurance GERD standards committee.
The material in this site is intended to be of general informational use and is not intended to constitute medical advice, probable diagnosis or recommended treatments. For severe heartburn or heartburn that persists after trying over-the-counter treatment or lifestyle modifications, visit your doctor to determine the right treatment for you. See the Terms and Conditions for more information.
