This causes irritation, which ultimately causes heartburn. A lot of people suffer from heartburn and it usually happens right after a big meal. Some people experiences heartburn once a month, which is a mild case of heartburn and others experience it almost every day, which is a chronic case of heartburn. You may also develop Barrett s esophagus, where you will be at risk of getting esophageal cancer. This is mainly the reason why you may want to prevent heartburn especially during nighttime when you are going to bed. People are more prone to experience heartburn during the night when they lie down. This is because when we lie down, it s easier for the acid to reach our esophagus because gravity will no longer be of any help when we are lying down. Also, you should try eating your food slowly as this will be able to help reduce the symptoms of heartburn. Secondly, you need to avoid certain foods. If you love spicy food, such as Mexican food, then you may want to cut back on this type of food while you are pregnant. Spicy food can get your stomach to produce more acid, which will increase the likelihood of you experiencing heartburn. If you are already throwing up blood or passing blood in your stools, experiencing dizziness, severe pain or light headedness, have difficulty in swallowing, feeling of dehydration, and you lost weight unintentionally, this is the time that you should call your doctor and go to the hospital. What the doctor will do is conduct a series of test in order to determine what is causing you to experience chronic heartburn. If you constantly experience heartburn, antacids will be very useful to you because they offer instant relief from heartburn especially if it is caused by foods or certain activities. But, you have to remember that relief will only be temporary and over the counter heartburn drugs will not prevent heartburn from returning and it will also not allow an injured esophagus to heal. Women who are pregnant are at an even higher risk of developing chronic heartburn. This is mainly because the belly swells due to the presence of the baby. It puts pressure on the stomach, which pushes stomach contents, such as acid, up. Obesity is also another contributing factor to chronic heartburn.