Dr B. Jacobson of Boston did a study which showed the link between women and acid reflux symptoms in women. Over ten thousand women were given a questionnaire which asked them how frequent, how severely and for how long they had had Acid Reflux or GERD symptoms. They were then placed in categories according to their BMI or Body Mass Index.

The result:

About twenty percent had symptoms of Acid Reflux at least once a week. About fifty percent said their symptoms were moderate. Those with a Body Mass Index below 20 were 33 percent less likely to have Acid Reflux than those with a Body Mass Index that was between 20 and 22.4. With a Body Mass Index that is between 22.5 and 24.9, an individual has a 38 percent higher chance of suffering from Acid Reflux symptoms than those with a Body Mass Index that was between 20 and 22.4.

Women that have a Body Mass Index that is higher than 25 are obese and overweight.

Pregnancy also is connected to Acid Reflux. During pregnancy, hormones are elevated and this reduces the pressure on the muscle which blocks reflux. The baby also plays a part in adding excess pressure in the lower abdomen when the uterus undergoes expansion. All these factors which when a woman is pregnant will make the woman less comfortable and thus more susceptible to Acid Reflux. It is also less physically comfortable due to the pregnancy.

Some simple steps can be taken when a woman is pregnant in order to lessen Acid Reflux. Begin with an appropriate diet, that is, an acid reflux diet, but remember that it is your water intake that could make a huge difference. The recommendation is that women who are pregnant drink eight glasses of water every day. The best way to achieve this is to drink the water in between meals and not together with the meals. If you drink the water as you eat your meals, there will be increased expansion of the walls of the stomach and the LES or Lower Esophageal Sphincter will be under more pressure and it will be forced to open.

If you are a woman suffering from Acid Reflux, you could be in danger of having Laryngopharyngeal reflux where stomach’s acid pours into and affects your voice box or larynx. This condition normally occurs in women who are tall and thin although fat women are definitely in danger from around 57 years of age. If you have any of the above-mentioned symptoms, it is advised that you see a gastrointestinal doctor.