Dullness during pregnancy. Forgetfulness of pregnant women

It is believed that in an "interesting" position, a woman becomes especially stupid, forgetful and slow-witted. There are many facts in support of this myth, but not all young mothers complain about the so-called "lowered IQ" during pregnancy. Some lucky people avoid this problem. So what is it, disease, stress or just self-hypnosis?

Rice. Pregnant women become stupid - myth or reality?

“I’m getting stupid before my eyes” - this expression can often be heard from young women in labor. Many complain of a sharp deterioration in memory, attention, speed of thinking and ingenuity.

There is a panic, because there is still childbirth, newborn care and so much new information to keep in mind. How to deal with it? Often, pregnant women are simply embarrassed to discuss this delicate problem with a doctor, thinking that they are alone in the whole world subject to this symptom during pregnancy. This turns into a common joke at gatherings with girlfriends, and the problem disappears by itself. However, you should not let everything take its course.

According to research, only 30% of expectant mothers completely avoided the problem of their own mental retardation during pregnancy. Many of them continued their professional activities without problems until the very birth. Another 30% confidently state that pregnancy even gave them a career boost, their memory has become better, their voice is more confident, and the authorities set an example! And the brain simply demanded more intellectual food: reading smart books, watching scientific TV shows, going to museums and theaters. But the remaining 40% responded positively to the question about the features of mental retardation during the period of bearing a child. However, even here opinions differed. Some did not connect their temporary "stupidity" with the appearance of the stomach, but only with excessive psychological excitement before childbirth and subsequent responsibility.

But scientists still tend to compare the pregnancy of a woman and the stupidity that accompanies her. For example, English researcher Angela Oatridge is convinced that during pregnancy, a woman's brain decreases by 4%, which causes sudden memory lapses.

Another group of scientists, based on Oatridge's research, came to the conclusion that a decrease in the mental ability of a woman in " interesting position"associated with an unexpected grandiose hormonal restructuring in the body of a pregnant woman, when the production of the hormone progesterone, which is responsible for Bad mood, apathy and memory impairment.

On the other hand, the Australian scientist Helen Henderson, through the IQ test in women before and after childbirth, did not reveal any disturbances in brain activity.

And yet, despite such different studies by foreign scientists, you should not let the problem take its course and think that after the birth of the baby it will be solved by itself. Feel free to contact your doctor. More often, weakened mental activity is simply associated with a lack of iron in the blood and taking appropriate drugs, as well as (reading books, memorizing texts, formulas, etc.) can help to survive this unpleasant moment.

So what really, pregnant women get stupid or not?

Summarizing all of the above, we can conclude that everyone is different. Some pregnant women really face a problem. Although in any case, it can hardly be called stupidity. Others, on the contrary, during pregnancy.

In addition to everything else, do not forget that the expectant mother constantly thinks about her baby, worries, dreams about what he will be like, sometimes afraid, but more often happy. It is not surprising that in such a state of "hovering in the clouds" a pregnant woman becomes more distracted and inattentive - this is precisely what gives rise to the myth that pregnant women become stupid - although in fact, in the vast majority of cases, this is not so!

They say pregnant women want three things: sleep, eat and pee. By the way, almost all the ladies in the position say so about themselves. A business women they add that during pregnancy they also became stupid and could not immediately solve the simplest production problems. Is there such a thing as “stupidity of pregnant women” in official medicine and, if so, what is the reason for the decrease in intelligence during the period of bearing a baby?

Why does pregnancy make us stupid?

My girlfriend calls me here, naturally, all in tears. Everyone, he says, sailed: “Brains flow right into the stomach, I began to forget the simplest words, I put the bread in the refrigerator, I dial the phone number on the intercom. And then I found an IQ test in an old magazine, so it ... decreased.

Of course, I comforted her as best I could. She said that she herself did not shine with intelligence during pregnancy (and, frankly, in places she was a very inhibited person), but now, please, I remember what “defenestration” is and I can distinguish it from “defecation”. But really, what happens to us women during pregnancy?

Take a look at any online community: here and there: "I'm getting dumber before my eyes." The opposite sex also does not lag behind, and instead of words of support, it may well blurt out: “So why discuss this with her? She's pregnant!" General slowness, forgetfulness, inhibition of reactions, inability to think analytically are companions not of all pregnancies, but of many.

This problem as a whole is called by the clever term "encephalopathy of pregnancy". In medical reference books, only the first part of this term (“encephalopathy”) will be found with a frightening definition - “brain pathology”. In the case of the pregnant option, you should not be afraid - we are talking about natural processes and, importantly, reversible.

As we know, large-scale restructuring begins in the pregnant body with a focus on “building” a full-fledged healthy child. Accordingly, all the forces of the mother's body rush to this construction site. The uterus needs to be intensively supplied with blood, which means that the entire circulatory system changes.

The hormones progesterone and estrogen “enter the stage”, the level of which increases significantly; changes in the performance of the central nervous system; the nature of the processes of inhibition and excitation changes; the activity of the cortex decreases ... All together, this works to ensure that the small organism not only develops successfully, but also does not suffer from the external actions of the mother.

That is why pregnant ladies fall into a kind of “comatosis”: they become leisurely, drowsy, incapable of intensive loads, they completely concentrate on the baby growing inside. If the doctor does not see any pathology in your behavior and well-being, you do not need to be treated.

Everything will go away by itself with childbirth.(True, some like to intimidate “lactational encephalopathy”, when the “prolactin” hormone begins to “steer” the mother’s life). But if memory impairment, absent-mindedness and lethargy scare you: help yourself. For example, you can “for prevention” solve algebra problems from a school course before going to bed or finally learn “Eugene Onegin” for yourself by heart.

It is important not to close yourself off from the outside world, even if you are on maternity leave. And it’s not bad if your environment is not only pregnant mothers, and conversations will be reduced not only to strollers, maternity hospitals and diapers. But do not overdo it: the “brain” does not want to pull out the load and let it. Listen to what nature tells you - it will not get worse.

You're pregnant and can't handle the mess in your head, don't worry, you're not the only one! Many women become forgetful and distracted at various stages of pregnancy - a condition called "brain pregnancy" or "mamnesia"!

Do not panic about this - pregnancy affects women not only in physical plane Therefore, forgetfulness during pregnancy is an unpleasant condition, but completely normal. Some studies show that up to 68% of expectant mothers suffer from memory lapses, 54% have difficulty concentrating (especially when solving new and / or unfamiliar tasks) and 52% suffer from absent-mindedness. And don't expect it to go away the minute you have a baby. This condition may continue for about a year after your baby is born.

What is forgetfulness during pregnancy?
Forgetfulness is the main symptom of "brain pregnancy": you may forget where you left your wallet, your friends may complain that you tell the same thing several times. It's not your fault, it's more the fault of your hormones. Progesterone often causes fatigue in the first trimester of pregnancy (weeks 0-12), and fatigue in turn contributes to short-term memory loss. In addition, oxytocin has a similar effect during pregnancy, and studies show that even brain cell volume shrinks during the third trimester (weeks 29-40).
Some experts believe that evolution plays a major role in causing forgetfulness, and that forgetfulness is actually designed to protect you from external circumstances that may prevent you from focusing on the child. They believe that the appearance of forgetfulness is a sign that you should simplify your life and spend more time thinking about the baby that is about to be born.

The emotional side of pregnancy plays an important role in your forgetfulness. Don't worry, "brain pregnancy" isn't harmful. But you should be careful with this feature after the birth of a child, because forgetfulness puts his safety at risk. Sometimes extra sleep helps to cope with this condition.
Tips to help you deal with forgetfulness
So, sleep is a key factor in combating the effects of brain pregnancy. Get as much sleep as you can and don't suppress fatigue, especially during the first trimester. Go to bed early if you need to, cut back on socializing, eat healthy, energy-boosting foods. When the time of birth approaches, it is very difficult to fall asleep. Use extra pillows for support in bed at night. If you have to go to the toilet several times a night, reduce your fluid intake after 6 pm. But drink plenty of fluids throughout the day to avoid dehydration, which can exacerbate memory problems. Try not to drink caffeinated drinks, as caffeine is a diuretic and can lead to dehydration.

Another good strategy for dealing with forgetfulness is to write down the things you really need to remember, such as information about an upcoming appointment, reminders of when your child needs the next vaccination. To do this, you can use both a notepad and electronic organizers, a computer, mobile phone. Such reminders will help you fight forgetfulness.

With expectant mothers during the nine months of bearing a baby, unexpected metamorphoses occur: the body becomes heavier, the stomach grows by leaps and bounds, the character deteriorates, food priorities change, and most importantly, mental abilities often noticeably decrease. Pregnant women or women who have recently given birth are scattered, insecure and aggressive. It turns out that the reasons lie in the physiological processes caused by future motherhood.

How, under the influence of hormones, changes occur in the nervous system of a pregnant woman, which leads to a deterioration in memory, concentration, reaction speed, the appearance of fatigue and tearfulness. In medicine, this condition is called encephalopathy of pregnancy. By the way, it is not treated, the intervention of doctors is not required here, everything will pass by itself.

Encephalopathy of pregnancy is a protective reaction of the body against the stresses of the outside world, which helps to endure and give birth to a child. Future mom focused on the most important this moment- baby. This condition manifests itself in every woman to a greater or lesser extent and depends on various factors, which, as a rule, are psychological in nature. For example, the features of the nervous system, the presence of somatic (that is, general) diseases, psychoemotional disturbances before conception, financial situation, age, as well as the desirability of this pregnancy and readiness for it, play a role. It is important whether a woman is married, even her upbringing in childhood and relationship with her mother. From all these components, an emotional sphere is formed, which affects the bearing, the course of childbirth, the health of the unborn child and postpartum adaptation.

Says the head of the pregnancy pathology department of the Stavropol City Clinical Hospital No. 4, a doctor of the first category, Candidate of Medical Sciences Olga GYUSAN:

Postpartum depression does not affect all women in childbirth. Women experience tremendous stress and strain during childbirth. The accumulated fatigue, complicated course of childbirth, health problems, sleepless nights, lack of help and sympathy from her husband and relatives leads to the fact that the puerperal enters a state of depression. If everything went well and the woman is not worried about other problems, then she will recover within a few weeks, and postpartum depression in this case threatens only from boredom ...

In order to avoid psycho-emotional problems during pregnancy and after childbirth, Olga Gusan said, the correct daily routine, good nutrition, and gymnastics are necessary. Must refrain from bad habits. Swimming helps a lot. Special studies have shown that women who visit the pool gain less excess weight easier to bear and give birth to healthier and stronger children.

Within a few weeks after delivery, the work of the central nervous system of a woman is rebuilt again. But with the former capabilities of the intellect, she will begin to shine only with time, when the baby will take less and less time. Isolation from the professional environment, chronic lack of sleep and full devotion to the baby will require all the forces from the woman. After all, becoming a mother, and especially for the first time, is in some way mastering a previously unknown profession and discovering something new in yourself.

Memory impairment and some distraction? Scientists explained what happens to a woman's brain during this period, and whether it is worth worrying about the appearance.

Perhaps you have already come across such a concept as the “pregnant brain”. This is when memory lapses appear in pregnant women, which most likely did not exist before, the woman becomes absent-minded and forgetful. For example, you put milk in a cupboard instead of a refrigerator, go into the room a hundred times, forgetting why, look for a mobile phone on which you are talking at the same moment, often and incomprehensibly where you lose things, leave the water tap on, let the dog out and forget to let it in back, etc.

(Especially funny when an older child somewhere in a store explains to the seller that his mother has a "pregnant brain", so she is strange. Thank you, kids. Although, of course, it's hard to argue.)

It's a common thing - the brain boils and you do God knows what. It has another name - mamnesia.

Good news is the norm, or rather, it's just biology. Research shows that the brain can shrink during pregnancy. Not that scientific confirmation is necessary, but it's nice to know that you're not the only one with oddities, right?

A recent study published on nature.com found that pregnancy causes changes in the structure and size of the brain that do not recover after childbirth.

During the study, women underwent MRI of the brain before and after pregnancy. Postpartum scans clearly indicated changes in the brain, especially a decrease in the amount of gray matter. The hippocampus, which is responsible for memory, also shrinks. Therefore, we, women, literally lose our heads! Well, that explains a lot.

Changes regarding the gray matter remained the same two years after the study. Who knows, maybe the brain will never return to normal. It remains only to change the name from "pregnant brain" to "mother's brain" and continue to live your life, forever accepting your "underdeveloped" state. (On the other hand, there are studies that suggest that)

But, there is also good side. Pregnancy also affects those areas of the brain that are responsible for feelings, empathy and outlook. Scientists believe that this strengthens the maternal instinct and contributes to the formation of mother's responsibility and connection with the child.

So if you feel like your brain has turned into a scrambled egg, you are not alone! Now we at least know who to blame for our distracted forgetfulness during pregnancy. Thanks kids, we forgive you.