But, it is still uncomfortable and you want to control or manage it or at least decrease its frequency. Here are ways on how you can prevent or at least manage heartburn during pregnancy. Firstly, you have to realize that heartburn is caused by a backflow of stomach acid in to the esophagus. This happens because the muscles in your stomach relax because of the hormonal changes in your body during pregnancy. You will often find that heartburn is associated with a sour taste in the mouth. This is actually the stomach acid that you taste, which explains the sour taste. Eating big meals will worsen your heartburn problem because your body or your stomach will produce excess acid in order to digest huge amounts of food. Leaving it untreated can also lead to a condition called Barrett s esophagus. This condition is where cells similar to the lining of the stomach start to develop in the lower esophagus. This condition can increase your risk of developing cancer of the esophagus, which is very hard to detect and very hard to treat. Research has found that Hispanics and Caucasians suffer from heartburn more frequently than any other races, such as Asians and African Americans. Today, genetic research is still being conducted to discover why this is so. It is important to keep in mind that if you have chronic heartburn, you have to get it treated. Secondly, you have to drink more water. Stop drinking coffee and avoid drinking carbonated drinks, such as sodas. Water is very effective in neutralizing stomach acid, which will eventually result in lessening the frequency of heartburn. You should also try eating honey. This is a known natural remedy for heartburn and it can also help heal damaged LES tissue. You also have to understand that heartburn is in no way related to the heart. It s simply called heartburn because you will feel a burning sensation on your chest. Heartburn is in fact a digestive condition. This is where the stomach acid comes in contact with the esophagus causing irritation and ultimately causing heartburn.