Introduction to Pregnancy & Memory Loss

• Studies such as a 2003 Michigan report on 3,472 pregnant women have validated what mothers and expectant mothers already knew: gestation can affect a woman's memory. Along with common pregnancy symptoms that include morning sickness, fatigue, backaches, headaches, cravings, frequent urination and moodiness, women are reporting problems with short-term memory loss.
  
  

An Overworked Mind

• An expectant mother is plagued with concerns for her unborn child: What sex will it be? Which hospital will I deliver at? What names do I like? Is the baby healthy? Am I eating right? How will I afford diapers? Who do I want to deliver my baby? Will I breastfeed? With her mind in a million places at once, and her life about to change completely, it's understandable if she's forgetful.
  
  

Sleepless Nights

• The overworked mind can also cause the expectant mother to fall victim to insomnia. She may spend hours lying awake, mulling over her unborn child and missing out on precious sleep, which can influence brain function.
  
  

Iron-Deficient Anemia

• While an expectant mother has been busy eating for two, her baby has been busy consuming her iron intake, causing the expectant mother to develop anemia. A common symptom of anemia is memory loss.
  
  

Pregnancy Hormones

• Pregnancy causes chaos with a woman's hormones, leading to emotional, physical and mental changes. Hormones may contribute greatly to the memory loss suffered by expectant mothers.
  When found in high levels, oxytocin, a hormone produced during pregnancy, can contribute to an incapacitated mind.
  
  

Improving Your Memory

• To help your pregnancy brain stay in shape, exercise it. Repeat things to yourself to commit them to memory. Buy a set of simple math flash cards, and run through them once a day to keep your mind in top shape.
  Many newer video game systems offer games aimed at improving memory and brain function.
  
  

Stay Calm

• Don't let the thought of memory loss scare you into not having children. It is short-term memory loss. You're not going to forget where you live; you simply might forget where you parked, misplace your car keys or lose your train of thought.
  In most cases the memory loss disappears shortly after giving birth. In some cases it lasts for a year after the birth.
  If you experience memory loss while pregnant and it lasts longer than a year after birth, or worsens, consult a doctor. Your doctor can determine if the memory loss is related to the pregnancy or something else.