UPPER GASTROINTESTINAL SYMPTOMS IN THE 3RD TRIMESTER OF THE NORMAL-PREGNANCY

Objectives: To report on the prevalence of well-being heartburn, nause a, and vomiting related to gestational week, parity, and age in the th ird trimester of the normal pregnancy. Study design. Self-administrere d questionnaire filled in daily by 180 women from 31st gestational wee k to delivery. Results: The study was completed by 120 women. The week ly prevalence of well-being decreased from 50% at the 31st gestational week to 24% at the 42nd gestational week (P = 0.00001). The weekly pr evalence of heartburn (similar to 60%), nausea (similar to 16%) and vo miting (similar to 7%) was nearly constant throughout the study period . Well-being was inversely related to parity, (P = 0.006), heartburn p ositively related to age (P = 0.016), and nausea and vomiting inversel y related to age (P = 0.003 and P = 0.044). Conclusion: Discomforts ar e customary in the third trimester of normal pregnancy. However, heart burn and especially nausea and vomiting appeared occasionally and were not present for longer periods. The findings that heartburn, nausea a nd vomiting had different relations to age may suggest different etiol ogies.