First scientists said it didn’t, now they’re saying pregnancy does make you, um, forgetful
Now, where did I leave my urine sample?
Women are more likely to have trouble remembering where they left things such as their keys when they’re pregnant. The memory effects are said to last for 3 months after birth.
Researchers believe that hormones may be to blame – due to the swings in levels that you get during pregnancy, which may affect the areas of the brain responsible for creating memories.
Earlier this year, Australian researchers claimed that ‘baby brain’ and pregnancy ditziness was just a figment of imagination and that mums-to-be were just as sharp as in their pre-bump days. However, this has now been challenged by the new research.
“Slips of memory and forgetfulness are commonly reported by pregnant women,” says Diane Farrar who led the research at the Universities of Bradford and Leeds. “However, scientists have yet to identify exactly how this memory impairment may occur.”
We think it’s a great excuse for forgetting to put the bins out and do the vacuuming…
