Women Have Greater Memory Loss During Pregnancy

Pregnant women have a lot to think about. They have to think about their health, the health of the baby, when the baby is coming, what's going to happen when the baby comes, etc. So, it's easy to be pretty forgetful with all of that going on. However, new studies have shown that pregnant women may not be forgetful because they have a lot on their minds, but rather, because their pregnant bodily biology may be messing with their memory.


Current studies have shown that elevated hormone levels that come with being pregnant can have an effect on the functions of the brain, which can lead to memory loss during the nine months of pregnancy. Tests taken between pregnant women and non-pregnant women went on to show that women in the later trimesters not only had more anxiety than women who were not pregnant, but that they also had worse memory via memory test scores. These results lead researchers to realize that the cause was more than just the hectic lifestyle of pregnant women.


Researchers placed the blame on high levels of sex hormones that go through the bodies of pregnant women. These hormones help women during the pregnancy but studies have now shown that they also hindered the woman's ability to remember. This sounds like a serious issue for women who plan on getting pregnant or are already pregnant, but the research also went on to show that the memory issues only take place during the nine months of pregnancy. Three months after the birth of the baby, hormone levels return back to normal along with memory. This is a relief for the millions of soon to be mothers as it now gives them some insight as to why they can't remember certain information.