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What Causes Burping During Pregnancy?

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Posted on Tue, 22 Apr 2014
Question: Dr dear, My wife is 2 months pregnant. Apart from the normal early symptoms she has, there are certain interval of the day where she can continuous burp for full hour. She was saying that the bleching comes from deep inside throat area. If is caused by stomach gas , how can gas be expelled continuously and non stop for so long. Frequent small meals and easily digested food didn't help. She had a hard time trying to control the burping . It isn't hiccups, jux expelling gas burp continuously. However I would like to bring out that she had this burping issue before she is pregnant. Recently is getting bit more. Also she hasn't any appetite ... And losing weight.
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Answered by Dr. Madhuri N Bagde (45 minutes later)
Brief Answer: detailed explanation below Detailed Answer: Hello and welcome, I understand the issue. There are a few reasons for this kind of burp: 1. esophageal diverticuli: They are small out pouchings of the food pipe. In addition to burping they may also lead to regurge of food eaten quite some time ago. 2. stenosis or narrowing of the lower esophagus: This leads to air trapping in the stomach and it is released slowly leading to burp. 3. Overgrowth of bacteria in the stomach and production of excess air. 4. Excessive swallowing of air. This is very common and sometimes people do it to induce burping hoping to get rid of the accumulated gas along with the swallowed air. 5. Drugs like calcium carbonate tablets produce excess gas. 6. use of food containing sodium bicarbonate or baking powder 7. gastroesophageal reflux disease: the lower sphincter of the food pipe is weak and allows gas and acid to come into the food pipe. Having said this, some of the causes can be prevented easily like eat nd drink food very slowly to avoid air ingestion. Stop calcium carbonate if taking it as supplement and use another preparation like calcium citrate. Do not add soda or baking powder to food. Drink plenty of water and avoid constipation. Avoid food that has seeds as seeds lead to excess gas production. Treat gastric hyper acidity and bacteria: for this a prescription acting against the commonest offending organism H pylori may be needed by your doctor. During the burping episode she must drink plenty of water slowly to help expulsion of gas. A bit of pressure by the hand just under the ribs on left side also helps. This will not affect the pregnancy as the baby is very small at 2 months and is deep in the pelvis and not in the abdomen. She must take light diet like clear soups at night. Loss of appetite and weight loss are not uncommon during the first 3 months due to nausea. She may take B complex and sporolac XXXXXXX and also eat yogurt to help digestion and improve the gut bacteria and appetite. regular light exercise like a walk morning and evening after meals is very effective. If with all this the symptoms are not subsiding then esophageal stenosis and diverticulosis must be ruled out. You will need to see a surgeon or a gastroenterologist for the same. I understand the issue well and also the agony that she must be facing from the constant burp. Please ask her not to try and burp in an effort to expel the gases. let them come by themselves and try to hold them as long as possible before expulsion as this leads to quicker expulsion and relieves symptoms. Hope this satisfies your query. Thanks for using HCM. Feel free to ask any more questions that you may have. Dr Madhuri Bagde Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D
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Dr. Madhuri N Bagde

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Practicing since :2001

Answered : 1390 Questions

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What Causes Burping During Pregnancy?

Brief Answer: detailed explanation below Detailed Answer: Hello and welcome, I understand the issue. There are a few reasons for this kind of burp: 1. esophageal diverticuli: They are small out pouchings of the food pipe. In addition to burping they may also lead to regurge of food eaten quite some time ago. 2. stenosis or narrowing of the lower esophagus: This leads to air trapping in the stomach and it is released slowly leading to burp. 3. Overgrowth of bacteria in the stomach and production of excess air. 4. Excessive swallowing of air. This is very common and sometimes people do it to induce burping hoping to get rid of the accumulated gas along with the swallowed air. 5. Drugs like calcium carbonate tablets produce excess gas. 6. use of food containing sodium bicarbonate or baking powder 7. gastroesophageal reflux disease: the lower sphincter of the food pipe is weak and allows gas and acid to come into the food pipe. Having said this, some of the causes can be prevented easily like eat nd drink food very slowly to avoid air ingestion. Stop calcium carbonate if taking it as supplement and use another preparation like calcium citrate. Do not add soda or baking powder to food. Drink plenty of water and avoid constipation. Avoid food that has seeds as seeds lead to excess gas production. Treat gastric hyper acidity and bacteria: for this a prescription acting against the commonest offending organism H pylori may be needed by your doctor. During the burping episode she must drink plenty of water slowly to help expulsion of gas. A bit of pressure by the hand just under the ribs on left side also helps. This will not affect the pregnancy as the baby is very small at 2 months and is deep in the pelvis and not in the abdomen. She must take light diet like clear soups at night. Loss of appetite and weight loss are not uncommon during the first 3 months due to nausea. She may take B complex and sporolac XXXXXXX and also eat yogurt to help digestion and improve the gut bacteria and appetite. regular light exercise like a walk morning and evening after meals is very effective. If with all this the symptoms are not subsiding then esophageal stenosis and diverticulosis must be ruled out. You will need to see a surgeon or a gastroenterologist for the same. I understand the issue well and also the agony that she must be facing from the constant burp. Please ask her not to try and burp in an effort to expel the gases. let them come by themselves and try to hold them as long as possible before expulsion as this leads to quicker expulsion and relieves symptoms. Hope this satisfies your query. Thanks for using HCM. Feel free to ask any more questions that you may have. Dr Madhuri Bagde Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist