Pregnancy Makes Women Smarter

[Bluelicious]

One of the most popular stories is about how pregnant women become scatterbrained and forgetful as their pregnancy progresses. While you may have experienced a few forgetful moments throughout your pregnancy, there is now evidence that supports that pregnancy and motherhood may actually make you smarter. Here is the lowdown on the brain-boosting powers of pregnancy!

 

Pregnancy and Memory Loss

 

Many women report symptoms of memory loss and forgetfulness throughout their pregnancies. In fact, about 50% of pregnant women admit to episodes of absentmindedness, particularly in the third trimester. You may find your self misplacing your keys or temporarily losing your glasses; some women report missing scheduled appointments or even forgetting information that they learned just hours before. This type of memory loss is often referred to as short-term memory loss and may be the result of:

 

- lack of restful sleep during pregnancy

- trying to learn a lot of information in a short span of time

- general pregnancy discomfort

 

Though you may feel like you are losing your mind thanks to these scatterbrained moments, there is now evidence to the contrary. In fact, it appears that pregnant women actually gain brainpower throughout pregnancy! So ignore those momentary memory lapses, and focus on how your pregnancy is actually making you smarter!

 

How Pregnancy Makes You Smarter: The Study

 

A recent study performed at the University of Richmond and Randolph-Macon College in Virginia illustrates that pregnancy brainpower actually doesn’t decline at all during pregnancy. Neuroscientists examined the activities of pregnant mice, rats, and humans and found that all three showed significant increases in mental acuity and memory throughout pregnancy and after giving birth. Specifically, the researchers noticed that the pregnant mice and rats:

 

- had more energy

- were more curious

- ran mazes more quickly

- retained detailed information for longer periods of time

 

Human subjects in the study also showed increased brainpower. Specifically, the pregnant women showed:

 

- increased visual acuity

- improved sense of smell

 

Why The Boost in Brain Power?

 

The neuroscientists involved in the pregnancy and memory study found that the hormones released throughout the nine months of pregnancy and during breastfeeding actually contributed directly to this increase in brain power. The hormone oxytocin, which is released in large amounts during pregnancy, appeared to directly affect the structure of the brain, allowing pregnant animals to experience improved brain communication. Brain changes included:

 

- Increased Dendrites: Researchers reported a doubling of the number of dendrites in the pregnant animals in the study. Dendrites are the connections in the brain that allow neurons to communicate with one another. The more dendrites a person has, the better the different areas of the brain can communicate.

 

- Increased Glial Cells: Researchers also reported that the pregnant animals had twice the number of glial cells in their brain as non-pregnant animals. Glial cells also play a role in brain communication, acting as signal transmitters for different areas of the brain.

 

Is This Improved Memory Permanent?

 

One of the most significant findings of this and other pregnancy and memory studies is that the added brainpower caused by pregnancy appears to be permanent. Increased memory retention and improved cognition appear to continue throughout motherhood; in fact, parenting only seems to contribute to a woman’s brain power, allowing her to become:

 

- increasingly motivated

- less fearful

- more empathetic

- better able to multitask and prioritize

 

What About Men?

 

Women aren’t the only ones who appear to benefit mentally from pregnancy and parenthood. Men also appear to show increased mental performance, however, this occurs on a much lower scale than it does in women. In particular, men seem to show an increased ability to empathize with others. This is believed to be the result of an increase in estrogen and prolactin that occurs in men just prior to labor and delivery.

 

Not only do the brains of pregnant women get bigger due to certain hormones but they get smarter as well which results in a higher IQ and the changes are permanent. Ladies this is not an excuse to start producing a football team lol

[Valenteenah.]

Interesting study.

[Blessed]

Motherhood motivates you, you want to be the absolute best for your kids so that they don't have excuses to act like useless brats hadhowto.

[Bluelicious]

Blessed - Indeed motherhood changes women for the better. I have seen women who led a wild and risky life then after having kids they change 360 degree and become a different person it's amazing.

[raula]

& would also add..FLACCID..i guess that explains the concept of "ELASTICITY" in other areas..other than the brain lol...

[Che -Guevara]

Well Bluelicious, you know what you have to do now to become even more smarter:D

[raula]

^^^jar haka tuurin inanta. A-don't give him an ear!

 

***by the way...ma anigaa mise...waa maxay inamadaan oo Aliyah's un daba lalaayan...she perhaps mentioned at some point she's single..blah blah..& dudes came flying out of every corner.....w/some shukansi jabs! war ileen...laakin wa iska shukansi soomaliyeed...Aliyah..hope you got your entourage my dear!

[Che -Guevara]

^Wouldn't worry about Aaliyah, she could handle oldies or scripts alike. And stop discouraging Bluelicious..lool

[NGONGE]

Che -Guevara;811434 wrote:

Well Bluelicious, you know what you have to do now to become even more smarter:D

Don't ask for the IMPOSSIBLE, Che.

[SayidSomal]

^

 

 

Bluelicious;807777 wrote:

Blessed

- Indeed motherhood changes women for the better. I have seen women who led a wild and risky life then after having kids they change 360 degree and become a different person it's amazing.

if they did 360 degree - then they still be in the same place doing the same things.

 

i think you meant 180 degree turn