Upper gastrointestinal symptoms in the third trimester of the normal pregnancy.

OBJECTIVES: To report on the prevalence of well-being, heartburn, nausea, and vomiting related to gestational week, parity, and age in the third trimester of the normal pregnancy.

STUDY DESIGN: Self-administered questionnaire filled in daily by 180 women from 31st gestational week to delivery.

RESULTS: The study was completed by 120 women. The weekly prevalence of well-being decreased from 50% at the 31st gestational week to 24% at the 42nd gestational week (P = 0.00001). The weekly prevalence of heart-burn (approximately 60%), nausea (approximately 16%) and vomiting (approximately 7%) was nearly constant throughout the study period. Well-being was inversely related to parity, (P = 0.006), heartburn positively related to age (P = 0.016), and nausea and vomiting inversely related to age (P = 0.003 and P = 0.044).

CONCLUSION: Discomforts are customary in the third trimester of normal pregnancy. However, heartburn and especially nausea and vomiting appeared occasionally and were not present for longer periods. The findings that heartburn, nausea and vomiting had different relations to age may suggest different etiologies.