A new study says there is no such thing as a “baby brain”
‘Baby brain’ doesn’t actually exist, according to a new study. Tests have revealed that pregnant women and new mothers suffer no decline in their mental functions, and leading scientists say that the condition is ‘all in the mind’.
Mothers-to-be who are feeling forgetful and a bit slow on the uptake may blame it on ‘baby brain’. While those who are pregnant may believe their memory is worse than usual, a study has found that they perform just as well as other women in mental tests. And it doesn’t just apply to memory. Other key skills, including attention span and spatial awareness, are equally unaffected by pregnancy.
With up to 80 per cent of pregnant women saying they suffer memory lapses, the finding could prove controversial. However, the US researchers say their aim is to give mothers-to-be a confidence boost.
They said that there is a ‘stereotype that your brain is going to turn to mush’ when pregnant and that women should resist it.
There were no differences between the two groups in memory, thinking, attention span, organisational or spatial skills. Whether the tests were taken during pregnancy or when looking after a young baby, the women did just as well as those who had never been pregnant.