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Expecting Mothers More Forgetful

Pregnant Women Said To Suffer From Minor Memory Loss

Feb 22, 2008 Laura Smith

The stress and hormonal changes of becoming a new mother has shown in a recent study to cause pregnant women to be more forgetful when learning new facts and multitasking

A recent study has shown that women can suffer from subtle memory loss while pregnant. The symptoms can even continue after the mothers give birth. The study was conducted by two Australian researchers which resulted in women being more likely to forget new information that is given to them while pregnant. The reason for this is thought to be caused by hormone shifts and lifestyle changes.

Dr. Julie Henry and Dr. Peter Rendell from Sydney’s University of New South Wales and Melbourne’s Australian Catholic University are the authors of the study. They came across their findings by analyzing 14 memory studies that have been overseen throughout the world as well as tested the memory performances of over 1,000 women, both pregnant and non-pregnant. They ultimately found that women are able to remember previously learned facts, such as remembering a memorized telephone number that they use often. However, they often have trouble remembering a new telephone number that is given to them. New names are also difficult for these women to remember. These facts are especially difficult to remember when multitasking. Their forgetfulness can last up to a year after they give birth or even longer, though this factor has not yet been analyzed.

Another reason for the memory loss may also be attributed to expectant mothers being preoccupied with their upcoming life changes. The number of women affected by memory loss during pregnancy can be as much as 50 percent. These women also report to feeling stressed or anxious about their upcoming changes. They often have more trouble sleeping between the physical discomfort and mental worrying that goes on when women are pregnant. This lack of sleep is another factor that contributes to a lapse in memory and the effectiveness in which a person is able to carry out daily tasks.

The results of the study have been published in the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology. Women who notice changes in memory or recognize that they are being forgetful are advised to practice a few simple exercises and make some minor changes to their lifestyle that are relative to anyone who has difficulty with memory. The first is to repeat new information as it is being told. They should also use mneumonic devices to help relate new information to old ones, such as acronyms for long lists or mental imaging with a related concrete image. Finally, these women are told to get plenty of sleep during the night. These methods can help reduce their symptoms and make them more calm and focused while pregnant and after they give birth.

The copyright of the article Expecting Mothers More Forgetful in Pregnancy & Childbirth is owned by Laura Smith. Permission to republish Expecting Mothers More Forgetful in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Pregnancy can cause forgetfulness