New research suggests that women’s brains shrink while they are pregnantMRIs proved that some gray matter was lost after pregnancy, specifically in areas that deal with people’s feelings and nonverbal signalsThe loss actually aids in brain processing, and makes mothers more efficient in figuring out their children’s needs and emotions, which results in a better maternal attachment
While some may debate whether the idea of "baby brain" is a real thing or not, new research suggest that having a baby does do something to a woman’s gray matter, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing.
A study conducted by researchers in the Netherlands and Spain reveals that women’s brains actually shrink while they are pregnant. The study took MRI scans of a group of fathers and first-time mothers both before pregnancy and after the child was born and they proved that some of the mom’s gray matter was lost, specifically in areas that deal with people’s feelings and nonverbal signals.
But while that may sound troubling, it doesn’t actually cause any brain damage to mom. In fact, the loss aids in brain processing, and makes mothers more efficient in figuring out their children’s needs and emotions, which results in a better maternal attachment. Unfortunately, the study was too short to understand whether the effects of such brain matter loss are permanent or temporary.
Source: USA Today