Thursday 05 March 2026 – 10:51 PM
A recent scientific study revealed that Pregnancy It may lead to noticeable changes in the structure of a woman’s brain, as a percentage of gray matter decreases temporarily during this stage, before regaining part of it after birth, which may play an important role in strengthening the relationship between the mother and her child.
Women actually lose part of their brains during pregnancy
According to the study conducted by a team of neuroscientists in Spain in cooperation with the BeMother project, the significant increase in pregnancy hormones is linked to changes in the gray matter within the brain, which is the tissue responsible for processing sensory information, making decisions, and regulating social behavior.
The results of the study showed that pregnant women lost, on average, about 5% of gray matter during pregnancy, a decrease that affected large areas of the brain, including areas associated with social perception and understanding others.
Researcher Susana Carmona, a professor at the Gregorio Marañon Institute for Health Research in Madrid, believes that this change should not be considered a negative matter, explaining that what is happening is similar to the process of pruning trees, where some branches are reduced so that growth becomes more efficient and organized.
The researchers focused in particular on the hormones estriol and estrone sulfate, whose levels rise dramatically during pregnancy to help form the placenta, and then decline sharply after birth as the placenta is delivered.
According to the study, these hormonal changes lead to what scientists describe as a reshaping of brain structure in first-time mothers, a process that may contribute to enhanced behaviors associated with motherhood.
The results indicated that part of the gray matter begins to recover during the postpartum stage, and that a high rate of this recovery is associated with lower levels of stress or hostility towards the infant about six months after birth, which strengthens the emotional bond between the mother and her child.
