New Study Confirms Pregnancy-Related Memory Impairment

Ask any woman who is pregnant or who has been pregnant if pregnancy affected her memory and she will undoubtedly say "yes." You will probably hear stories about lost keys, forgotten phone numbers, missed appointments, and the like. As a mother of three children under the age of four, I've been there. So is the so-called "baby brain" memory loss a fact or myth? Well until recently, research on the subject was limited and it was uncertain whether maternal amnesia was real or imagined. However, thanks to a new study, mothers and mothers-to-be around the world can rest assured that, no, they are not losing their minds. Baby brain is indeed a realty of pregnancy and the postpartum period.

For centuries, women have complained about memory impairment during and after pregnancy. The first sign of baby brain is usually increased forgetfulness, however, other symptoms can include confusion, stress, anxiety, the inability to concentration, and increased clumsiness. Although women have always accepted that memory impairment usually accompanies pregnancy, experts have long dismissed the idea that baby brain is truly a reality. However, the dismissal came despite an overwhelming lack of research on the subject. It wasn't until the last ten years that the subject has begun to be looked at in more detail. This increased study of the subject has found that baby brain is indeed a reality and not some imagined effect of pregnancy as was suggested in earlier research.

In the most recent study, researchers looked at data from more than a dozen studies evaluating women's memories. The data came from more than 400 pregnant women, 250 mothers, and nearly 400 non-pregnant females. The researchers found that pregnant women performed worse on many of the aspects of the test, however, they did not perform worse on all aspects. More specifically, pregnant women performed worse on new tasks, such as recalling a new phone number, or difficult tasks, such as remembering several different pieces of information at the same time. Regular and well-practiced tasks, such as recalling a friend's phone number, did not seem to be affected by pregnancy. The researchers also found evidence that maternal amnesia is present for up to one year following childbirth. It is uncertain whether the condition may be present for longer individuals because they studies examined did not go beyond that time frame.

The researchers agree that baby brain is a definite reality. However, they are not certain why the condition occurs. Experts believe it is more than likely due to lifestyle factors. These include lack of sleep, stress, and poor diet. Biological factors are almost certainly also at play, most notably hormonal changes. Certain changes in one's lifestyle may be able to lessen the affects of baby brain, but because biological factors are probably at play, it is unlikely for the condition to completely disappear.

More research on the subject is definitely needed. In the meantime, if you are suffering from baby brain (and I'll be the first to admit I am), don't think you are losing your mind. What you are going through is indeed a reality and it is completely normal.

Sources

AFP

The Observer