Clare McCormack and colleagues, writing in JAMA Neurology, recently summarised research about the brain changes that occur in association with and after pregnancy. She deplores the way these changes and the associated changes in function have often and widely been presented in a negative way, devaluing the skills and role of a parent, mother and caregiver, and reinforcing views of women as the ‘lesser sex’, seen as lacking the intellect or other qualities of men.
The truth is that the brain and its function does change during and after pregnancy. This neuroplasticity has been delineated over the last ten years but particularly more recently by a number of studies. But it is also only in recent years that brain functions associated with social and emotional intelligence and human relationships have been appreciated. These are the functions enhanced by pregnancy and caring for a baby.
Some of the changes during pregnancy (particularly ‘pruning’ of neuronal connections) are similar to the changes which occur in adolescence. Some authors are therefore calling this developmental change associated with pregnancy ‘matrescence’.
The brain changes particularly transform the baseline state of the ‘default network’. This network is said to be involved in the process of self-reflection and social processes which include thinking about others.
So, this is adaptation, not a deficit. Viewing the changes this way is important, as mothers do experience some lapses of memory and word-finding and may think these are signs of deterioration or failure. However, these lapses are insignificant compared to the highly developed skills the new mother displays, despite sleep-debt and other stresses, in bonding, multitasking, and parenting. Unfortunately, the ‘deficit’ view, of ‘mommy brain, baby brain, momnesia and pregnancy brain’ taken by the mother herself and others can feed into very negative and incorrect self-concepts and stereotypes.
Read more: It’s Time to Rebrand “Mommy Brain” | Neurology | JAMA Neurology | JAMA Network
‘Mommy brain’ is real and science now shows there are benefits – The Washington Post
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/pregnancy-changes-the-brain-possibly-promoting-bonding-with-a-baby/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=mind&utm_content=link&utm_term=2022-12-14_top-stories&spMailingID=72441864&spUserID=NjExMTA4OTQ1MTEzS0&spJobID=2262866962&spReportId=MjI2Mjg2Njk2MgS2