A new study focused on pregnancy has shown that women who give birth through in vitro fertilization are more likely to experience GERD than those who don’t. While the direct cause is unknown, researchers do have some theories.
The results of the GERD study are published in the UEG Journal (United European Gastroenterology), in which 156 women who had a IVF-induced birth took a reflux-based questionnaire a year following pregnancy. These were all women who had either one child or twins. The same questions were given to a group of 111 women who had given birth naturally.
Out of that group, 13.5% of IVF participants reported experiencing GERD, as opposed to just 4.5% in women who went through natural child birth. Among the possible causes for the presence of GERD, researchers pointed to psychological and medical factors.
They believed factors such as depression, stress and anxiety could play a role. Often times, worries about a miscarriage can take a mental toll on a pregnant mother. High level intakes of progesterone and estrogen were also believed to be potential factors.
The next step in the study will be to take these results and analyze prevention options, as well as possible treatments. “There was no difference between women with singleton birth and those with twin birth in terms of developing subsequent reflux symptoms. Further long-term follow-up studies are required to determine whether therapy during pregnancy can prevent this risk,” the researchers said.
If you are experiencing symptoms of GERD, contact the specialists at Houston Heartburn.