Twenty-four hour pH monitoring during pregnancy and at postpartum: a preliminary study.

OBJECTIVE

To quantify the amount of acid refluxed in symptomatic pregnant women and compare this to the postpartum period.

METHODS

Eight non complicated symptomatic pregnant women were enrolled. The mean age was 28+/-6.3 years and gestational age 26+/-4.4 weeks at inclusion. Repeated measurements were done at 9.8+/-6.5 weeks postpartum. Esophageal manometry and 24h pH monitoring were performed at each time period.

RESULTS

Heartburn (HB), regurgitation and dysphagia were the main presenting symptoms, however only regurgitation was significantly more frequent during pregnancy (P=0.01). Lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure was significantly lower during pregnancy (P=0.001). Twenty-four hour pH monitoring variables were worse and the number of reflux episodes and the upright reflux reached statistical significance (P=0.03, and 0.01, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Pregnancy is associated with decreased LES pressure, more frequent episodes of reflux and upright reflux.