Why There May Be Some Truth In The Heartburn 'Myth'

Pregnancy can come with more than its fair share of side-effects… bloating, back-ache and swollen ankles among them.

For those of you unlucky enough to be plagued with heartburn, you’ll have no doubt heard the ‘old wives tale’, linking the affliction to the likelihood that your baby will be born with a full head of hair. You’ve also probably wondered how this can even make sense, but…

There is actually a correlation between your level of heartburn and baby’s hairiness.

In a 2006 study by John Hopkins University scientists followed 64 pregnant women and monitored their symptoms.

When the research was complete, they admitted that even they were surprised by the results.

They concluded: “Contrary to expectations, it appears that an association between heartburn severity during pregnancy and newborn hair does exist.

“We propose a shared biologic mechanism involving a dual role of pregnancy hormones in both the relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter and the modulation of fetal hair growth.”

So an excess of oestrogen is responsible for the relaxation of the muscle which closes off the bottom of your oesophagus – therefore causing acid to splash back up and cause heartburn – as well as an increase in baby hair.

Did you suffer from severe heartburn during your pregnancy and a baby with a full head of hair? Leave us a comment below.