Pregnancy can Make You Smarter

The University of Richmond conducted a recent study along with Randolph-Macon College in Virginia to prove that brainpower of a pregnant woman do not at all decline during pregnancy. Along with humans, neuroscientists of these two institutions examined the activities of pregnant rats and mice. There was a significant growth in mental acuity and memory of all three subjects. This growth prevailed throughout pregnancy as well as after giving birth.

During this study, it was observed that pregnant women showed improved sense of smell and increased visual acuity. The neuroscientists found that during pregnancy and breastfeeding the body releases hormone oxytocin, which contribute directly to this increased brainpower. This hormone oxytocin directly affects the structure of your brain. This, in turn, results in improved brain communication.

It also causes increased dendrites. The number of dendrites doubles in pregnant women; dendrites are defined as the connections in the brain that facilitates neurons to communicate with one another. And with double number of dendrites, the different areas of the brain of a pregnant woman communicate better, making her a smart woman. The number of glial cells, which is important for brain communication, too doubles in the brain of a would-be mother. Glial cells act as signal transmitters for various areas of your brain.

This study also revealed that this added brainpower usually appears to be permanent. This improved brain cognition and increased memory retention continue throughout motherhood. Parenting also allows a woman to become less fearful, increasingly motivated, and more empathetic. In addition, motherhood makes a woman better in multitasking and prioritizing.