SynthesisBMC pregnancy and childbirth2025
Exploring the influence of pregnancy on cognitive function in women: a systematic review.
Synthesis in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed.
- Use of a single pain coping skills session (Empowered Relief) for outpatient postpartum pain following cesarean delivery: a pilot feasibility study.International journal of obstetric anesthesia · 2026Trial
- The influence of sex on cognition in psychosis.Schizophrenia research. Cognition · 2026Article
- Association between reproductive history, white matter integrity, and cognition in post-menopausal Latina women from the Boston Latino Aging Study.Journal of clinical and experimental neuropsychology · 2026Observational
- Beyond 'Baby Brain': Memory and Sleep Health During Pregnancy-A Biopsychosocial Perspective.Brain sciences · 2026Review
- Salivary cortisol reactivity to stress in pregnancy: A scoping review.Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026Article
- Measuring emotion dysregulation in pregnancy using smartphone activity: a prospective research study in the United States.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2026Article
- Investigating the factors related to the brain executive function change during pregnancy.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2025Article
- Workplace Discrimination Against Pregnant and Postpartum Employees: Links to Well-Being.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Review
- A Call to Integrate Measures of Environmental Context into Research on Maternal Brain Health.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Review
- Exploring the impact of pregnancy on cognitive function: a comparative study in a low-income setting.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2025Article
- Disparities in women's health and clinical considerations from a translational science perspective: A narrative review and framework for future directions.Women's health (London, England)Review
- Individual differences in cognitive performance under pain linked to region-specific alpha power modulations.Neurobiology of pain (Cambridge, Mass.)Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPregnancy has been increasingly recognized for its potential impact on cognitive function influenced significantly by hormonal fluctuations such as estrogen and progesterone. However, the findings from research in this area remain debated, often varying with individual factors and pregnancy trimesters.
objectiveThis study aims to systematically review existing literature and empirical research to better understand the phenomenon known as "pregnancy brain" and its association with cognitive change.
methodsWe conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed English language articles sourced from Medline, Cochrane Library, and PubMed. Using search terms (pregnancy OR pregnant) AND (cognit* OR memory OR cognitive function*), we identified relevant articles published from the inception of these databases to July 2023. Due to the diverse outcomes in identified studies, a meta-analysis was not feasible, and therefore, a narrative synthesis was conducted to summarize findings.
resultsScreening 3892 studies yielded 31 that met inclusion criteria, encompassing 1596 pregnant women and 1450 non-pregnant controls. Notably, seven studies originated from Australia, of which four were rated as low quality. The aggregated findings suggest that pregnancy modestly affects verbal memory and attention compared to non-pregnant controls, with indications that this decline persists postnatally.
conclusionFuture efforts should prioritize uncovering the underlying mechanisms driving these cognitive changes during pregnancy and consider developing targeted interventions. Such initiatives aim to mitigate potential impacts on maternal well-being, advocating for comprehensive support systems tailored to pregnant individuals navigating cognitive shifts during this transformative period.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.