Are Bitter Taste Buds a Sign of Pregnancy?

It is not unusual for a pregnant woman to experience a bitter, metallic taste in her mouth. This, along with the heightened sense of smell that accompanies pregnancy, can make enjoying a simple meal a difficult task.

  1. Function

    • According to pregnancy.org, dysgeusia, the medical term meaning an altered sense of taste, may provide women with a heightened sense of bitter taste during their pregnancy.

    Theories/Speculation

    • Increased taste sensitivity during pregnancy is due to the increased amount of water that occurs and dilutes the volume of blood. This, in conjunction with increased hormone levels of progesterone and estrogen, is responsible for changes in sensory organs throughout the body, such as taste buds.

    Time Frame

    • While pregnant women may have a heightened sense of taste throughout their entire pregnancy, pregnant women are most sensitive to developing bitter taste buds or a metallic taste in their mouths during their first trimester when hormone, blood volume, and water levels are rapidly rising.

    Prevention

    • Pregnant women suffering from dysgeusia may find relief by chewing mint flavored gum, eating spicy foods to numb the taste buds, drinking citrus fruits, such as lemonade, or eating foods marinated in vinegar, such as pickles.

    Additional Tips

    • Relief may also be found by brushing the tongue each time teeth are brushed to remove the bitter flavor or rinsing the mouth with a salt and water or baking soda and water solution three times per day to neutralize the pH levels in the mouth.

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