Mental sluggishness and even forgetfulness are common issues during pregnancy, at least for some women. These are also termed by many as ‘pregnancy brain’, ‘pregnesia’, or ‘placenta brain’. It is thought to be caused by the rapid changes a woman’s body has to go through during pregnancy.
It can be quite frustrating for a pregnant woman, especially if she happens to have other issues to contend with (morning sickness, constipation, mood fluctuations), caused by surging hormone levels. While countless women claim to be less focused, blurry-minded, forgetful, etc during their pregnancy, sometimes causing them problems even with simple tasks, not all experts agree with, or acknowledge these phenomena. It’s no harm knowing more, we say!
As mentioned already, some women experience ‘brain fog’ or have trouble concentrating and remembering things. Women usually complain about this condition during their first and third trimesters. Many women, on the other hand, experience it after childbirth, in which case, it is termed as mommy’s brain.
However, studies conducted to examine the relationship between pregnancy and memory are very limited, and most of these studies have produced conflicting results. While some studies have found that pregnancy may affect memory and cognitive abilities, others maintain that the results of cognitive tests conducted in expectant mothers and women who are not pregnant are almost similar.
So here, what we are about to do is to take a look at the possible causes of this condition.
Hormones going haywire
During pregnancy, a woman’s sex hormones, estrogen, and progesterone, tend to be all over the place, so to speak. This naturally gives rise to a host of issues and among them are mood swings, fatigue, increased sleepiness, and headaches. Moreover, the hormonal surge in the first few weeks can alter how the brain processes sensory information, especially those coming from the olfactory glands. This is the reason a woman becomes extremely sensitive to certain odors during pregnancy. It’s easy to see, from this point of view, how a woman can end up feeling confused and overwhelmed, and yes, seemingly absent-minded and blur!
Over-anxiousness
Being anxious about her pregnancy and her baby is normal for a pregnant woman. It’s a sign she cares to think about the new challenges that she will be facing with a baby in her life. Sometimes though, these thoughts work against you and you may end up worrying too much about the future, and it takes up much of your time and energy, leaving you listless and lacking mental energy that is required in other areas of your daily life. This is when ‘pregnancy brain’ sets in, hindering you from being able to focus properly or make good decisions (or in many cases, you may even end up indecisive!)
Too tired to think straight
Tiredness, even for someone who isn’t pregnant, can ruin your day, especially if you have loads to do, and even more so if those tasks require mental capabilities. Imagine trying to write a good report when you’re too tired to even recall what you had for breakfast this morning – get the picture? For many pregnant women, tiredness can be, well, tiring! Changes in hormones, an expanding belly, and not to mention and increasing weight that has to be carried around can leave you feeling exhausted. In turn, this tiredness can hinder a person, in this case, a pregnant woman, from thinking clearly and from being at her cognitive best. So, if a woman is pregnant and seems to be placing stuff at the wrong places, or if she doesn’t seem to be fully present when you’re having a conversation, she could be tired and hence, be experiencing a bout of pregnesia.
Nesting & Pregnesia- Another Interesting Link
The nesting phase, where a woman feels an irresistible urge to prepare a home for the newborn, may also be associated with ‘pregnesia’. Because of her nesting instinct, a pregnant woman can become so obsessed with cleaning and preparing the house for the new member, that she may forget about other day-to-day activities.
Poor nutrition
Pregnancy can either take a toll on a woman’s appetite or, it can make her crave for foods with little or no nutritional value. Either way, it does nothing for her mental wellbeing, for the brain needs nutrition to function well! Carvings are known to go out of hand if left unaddressed – which may lead to too much weight gain (from eating too many fatty foods), and/or, malnourishment (form not getting enough nutritious food). This is when the domino effect sets in, for gaining weight too fast can take a toll on a pregnancy resulting in tiredness and of course, a sluggish brain. It’s the same with not having enough nutrition, for that too will affect your thinking capabilities. Any way you look at it, with poor nutrition comes to a sluggish brain, or pregnancy brain!
Not enough exercise
In addition to its physical health benefits, exercise increases blood flow to the brain and has been demonstrated to improve sleep, boost memory, and reduce stress. Even during pregnancy, a woman should not let her body become inactive for too long, for she will be unintentionally placing her brain at risk for becoming inactive, too. This can lead to the symptoms of brain fog: difficulty sleeping, impaired memory, and increased stress. First and foremost, get your doctor’s advice on which kind of exercise that will be best for you (and which to avoid!). Then, get moving, mama!
Sleep issues
Physical changes during pregnancy may play a role in pregnancy brain, but lifestyle factors certainly have an influence as well. Sleep, or the lack thereof, is a potential culprit. Sleep deprivation, which can become more pronounced as sleep becomes increasingly uncomfortable as pregnancy progress, can also play a major role. With lack of sleep comes tiredness at every level, and of course, the inability to think straight! Sleep-deprivation often becomes more of a problem postpartum as well, as many new mothers find themselves losing out on significant amounts of sleep as they care for their newborns and adjust to the new demands of motherhood.
Stress
Increased stress levels associated with becoming a parent might also play a partial role in contributing to pregnancy brain. Studies have shown that anxiety levels tend to increase as pregnancy progresses. It may depend on the individual, but countless mothers-to-be do experience a certain degree of stress during their pregnancy, due to a number of reasons. They could be undergoing stressful events, or merely being over-concerned about their future. Or perhaps they are stressed out due to financial issues, marital problems, family events, etc. All these are more than capable of contributing to a woman’s pregnancy brain, and it’s not hard to see how!
Did you know?
In 1996, a report published in the New Scientist Magazine found that the brain of pregnant women shrunk during their third trimester. Another study published in the American Journal of Neuroradiology in 2002, also revealed that the volume of the brain reduced by about 4% during pregnancy. However, the brain usually regains its original size within a few weeks after childbirth. But in some cases, the brain can take up to six months to attain its former size.
Honey, I shrunk my brain
During pregnancy, a woman’s brain can shrink by up to 8%, though she does not lose her brain cells.
