Mental Health Research, OBGYNE / 29.07.2024
Pregnancy Brain Explained: Understanding the Cognitive Changes
It’s no secret pregnancy causes many changes in a woman’s body - physically and emotionally.
One of the most common changes occurs in the brain, a phenomenon known as the pregnancy brain.
The pregnancy brain is often referred to as momnesia or baby brain.
This condition underlies the cognitive struggles and difficulty associated with concentrating that some women experience during pregnancy and sometimes after giving birth.
Generally, pregnancy is characterized by an increase in steroid hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol. These hormones will be discussed in detail in the following sections.
Steroid hormones are responsible for handling metabolism, inflammation, immune functions, salt and water balance, the development of sexual characteristics, and the ability to withstand injury and illness during pregnancy.
The genesis of pregnancy brain stems at least partially from the influx of these steroid hormones. This, among other factors, will be mentioned in this article.
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