Heartburn and regurgitation in pregnancy: the effect of fat ingestion.
BACKGROUND
Reflux symptoms are common in pregnancy, but their association with fat ingestion is unclear.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate an association of dietary fats with heartburn and regurgitation in pregnancy.


METHODS
This is a prospective study in which 89 pregnant women (gestational age 34 +/- 4 weeks) attending a low-risk prenatal outpatient clinic were asked to provide information on the frequency they experienced heartburn and regurgitation. Fat ingestion was estimated by means of a 24-h diet record. Symptomatic patients were compared with those with no reflux symptoms (n = 20).


RESULTS
Heartburn once a week or more often occurred in 56 of the 89 patients (63%). The ingested amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids was higher in patients with heartburn (11.2 +/- 6.4 vs. 7.7 +/- 3.5 mg; P = 0.022) than in controls after adjusting for age, gain weight during pregnancy, ingestion of caffeine and vitamin C, and total energetic intake. The ingestion of monounsaturated fatty acids was higher in patients with heartburn, but with a borderline statistical significance (16.1 +/- 11 vs. 11.8 +/- 6.5 mg; P = 0.061). No association was observed between the consumption of fats and regurgitation.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that heartburn in the third trimester of pregnancy is associated with the ingestion of polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Dall'Alba
Valesca
V
Post-Graduate Program, Sciences in Gastroenterology, School of Medicine and Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Rua Ramiro Barcelos, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Fornari
Fernando
F
Krahe
Cláudio
C
Callegari-Jacques
Sidia Maria
SM
Silva de Barros
Sérgio Gabriel
SG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015930:Diet Records; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000209:etiology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006356:Heartburn / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated
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