Memory disorders during pregnancy

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Classification according to ICD-10
F53.1 Severe mental and behavioral disorders in the puerperium, not elsewhere classified (puerperal dementia)
ICD-10 online (WHO version 2019)

The observation of cognitive limitations and memory disorders in pregnancy ( maternal amnesia , maternal amnesia ) and the period after birth due to hormonal changes described for some time.

In more recent studies it has become clear that subjectively perceived deficits can be determined by all questionnaires used, but the objective tests used do not provide any evidence or a mixed picture.

The existence of such a specific syndrome is also questioned and maternal fatigue and social expectations are suggested as an alternative explanation. There is no scientific basis for the colloquial German term breastfeeding dementia or pregnancy dementia , as there is no connection with breastfeeding or the occurrence of a dementia syndrome .

An exclusive reduction of the cause of "memory disturbances " to hormonal changes is too one-sided for the breastfeeding mother. From memory research it is known that a constant disturbance of sleep leads to impairment of the brain and memory performance and to concentration disorders . In the last months of pregnancy, expectant mothers often experience insomniac symptoms, caused by wake-up reactions caused by movements of the child as well as problems in being able to take a suitable sleeping position and urge to urinate at night . This period of lack of sleep is followed by a period after the birth when the mother's sleep is continually interrupted again due to the needs of the child. This sleep deprivation can affect memory performance and irritability.

In animal experiments it has been shown that, at least in rats, the period of pregnancy is a period of change in the brain, which in particular favors the skills and abilities required in connection with the offspring. This change is permanent. The apparent contradiction between the improvement shown in the animal experiment and the "deficits" found in humans can be explained by the fact that the test procedures in humans only focus on other characteristics that are not particularly relevant in this context.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Alphabetical index for the ICD-10-WHO version 2019, volume 3. German Institute for Medical Documentation and Information (DIMDI), Cologne, 2019, p. 178
  2. ^ Julie D. Henry, Peter G. Rendell: A review of the impact of pregnancy on memory function . In: Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology . Vol. 29, No. 8 , 2007, p. 793-803 , doi : 10.1080 / 13803390701612209 , PMID 18030631 .
  3. ↑ Matthew Brett, Sallie Baxendale: Motherhood and Memory: A Review . In: Psychoneuroendocrinology . Vol. 26, No. 4 , 2001, p. 339-362 , doi : 10.1016 / S0306-4530 (01) 00003-8 , PMID 11259856 . , online ( Memento of the original from March 5, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF file, 114 kB), accessed on February 13, 2013 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / matthew.dynevor.org
  4. ↑ Carrie Cuttler, Peter Graf, Jodi L. Pawluski, Liisa Galea: Everyday life memory deficits in pregnant women . In: Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology / Revue canadienne de psychologie expérimentale . Vol. 65, No. 1 , 2011, p. 27-37 , doi : 10.1037 / a0022844 .
  5. ↑ Birgit Högl, Elisabeth Brandauer: Neurological diseases in pregnancy . Ed .: Thomas Berger. Springer, Vienna 2007, ISBN 978-3-211-00492-0 , Chapter: Sleep, p. 183-209 , doi : 10.1007 / 978-3-211-69357-5_7 .
  6. ^ A b Christian Jarrett: The maternal brain . In: The Psychologist . Vol. 23, No. 3 , 2010, p. 186-188 . , online , accessed June 19, 2016