Baby brain is actually real, according to science
Any pregnant mama who’s gotten dressed, left the house, and driven somewhere, only to forget why they’re there will be fairly adamant that ‘baby brain’ is a real thing.
The phenomenon of memory lapses during pregnancy has been both written off as an old wives’ tale and backed up by various studies, leading to doubt as to whether or not it’s even a thing.
Now a report suggests that, if nothing else, mums-to-be can be very forgetful indeed.
It found that pregnant women performed worse in a series of tests that measured attention, decision-making, planning, and memory.
Researchers at Australia’s Deakin University looked at 20 studies, comprised of 709 expectant mums and 521 non-pregnant women, and concluded that “overall cognitive functioning was poorer in pregnant women than in non-pregnant women.”
They say their report provides definitive proof of ‘baby brain’.
“It was certainly thought of as being a myth, which diminishes a woman’s experience,” Deakin University Associate Professor Linda Byrne told Australia’s Daily Telegraph.
“A large number of women talk about feeling a bit foggy and we are saying that it is real.
“Pregnant women can experience some difficulty but it is going to be subtle.
The team said it “won’t have a serious impact on their life”.
This is, however, just the latest in a number of studies around the ‘baby brain’ phenomenon.
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