'Baby brain' DOESN'T exist, tests reveal

你被“孕傻”骗了多久

Mothers-to-be who are feeling forgetful and a bit slow on the uptake may blame it on 'baby brain'

有句流传已久的社会俗语，叫“一孕傻三年”，准妈妈常常对此深信不疑。她们感觉自己怀孕后变得健忘，反应也变迟钝了。

But in reality this doesn't exist, scientists claim.

但是科学家指出，事实上“一孕傻三年”这种情况根本不存在。

While those who are pregnant may believe their memory is worse than usual, a study has found that they perform just as well as other women in mental tests.

尽管孕妇们觉得自己的记忆力变差了，但是一项研究发现，她们在脑力测试中的表现和没怀孕的女性一样好。

And it doesn't just apply to memory. Other key skills, including attention span and spatial¹ awareness², are equally unaffected by pregnancy³.

而且还不光是记忆力。其他重要技能，包括注意力持续时间和空间感，同样都没有受到怀孕的影响。

With up to 80 per cent of pregnant women saying they suffer memory lapses⁴, the finding could prove controversial. However, the US researchers say their aim is to give mothers-to-be a confidence boost.

高达80%的女性表示自己遭受记忆力减退的困扰，这使得这些研究结果颇具争议性。

However, the US researchers say their aim is to give mothers-to-be a confidence boost.

但是，美国研究人员声称，他们的研究目的是为了增强准妈妈们的自信心

They said that there is a 'stereotype⁵ that your brain is going to turn to mush' when pregnant and that women should resist it.

他们说，社会中流传一种旧思想，认为怀孕时，你的头脑就会变成“一团浆糊”。然而，女士们应该拒绝这种老观念。

With previous studies into the existence of baby brain providing mixed results, the team from Brigham Young University in Salt Lake City set out to come up with a definitive⁶ answer.

由于先前对“孕傻”是否存在的研究，给予的答案模棱两可。来自美国盐湖城杨伯翰大学的团队为此“出山”，对此展开研究，以给大家一个确切的答案。

They put 21 mothers-to-be through a battery of mental tests a few weeks before their baby was due and again a couple of months after the birth.

他们让21位准妈妈在预产期前几周参加了一系列脑力测试，在产后几个月，又对她们进行了一次测试。

Another 21 women who weren't pregnant and had never had any children also completed the three-hour set of tests.

另外21位未怀孕且从未生育的女士同样完成了这些长达三小时的系列测试。

There were no differences between the two groups in memory, thinking, attention span, organisational or spatial skills.

结果显示：被测试的两组女性在记忆力、思维、注意力持续时间、组织技能或空间方位感上的表现，并无差异。

Whether the tests were taken during pregnancy or when looking after a young baby, the women did just as well as those who had never been pregnant.

在测试中，妈妈们无论是在怀孕期间，还是在照顾宝宝期间，都表现得完全与未曾怀过孕的女士们一样好。

However, when asked how they had performed, the pregnant women and new mothers thought they had done worse. They also said they had a lower quality of life and were less satisfied with their lot.

然而，当被问及先前的表现时，准妈妈或新妈妈都会觉得自己做得更糟。她们还表示，她们的生活质量变差了，生活状况也不那么如意。

Psychology⁷ professor Michael Larson, lead author of the study, said: 'I was surprised at how strong the feeling was that they weren't performing well.

作为此次研究的领头人，心理学教授迈克尔•拉尔森说道：“她们对自己表现不好的感觉是如此强烈，这着实让我惊讶。”

'This feeling of, "I really am doing badly right now" exists despite the objective evidence that they aren't.'

“尽管有客观依据表明‘孕傻’并不存在，但这种‘我现在确实表现得很糟糕’的情绪还存在。”

Writing in the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, Professor Larson said that the expectation of baby brain may be so strong that a pregnant woman is extra-alert to memory lapses.

拉尔森教授在《临床和实验神经心理学杂志》上写道，孕妇对“孕傻”的预期那么强烈，以至于老觉得自己的记忆力在衰退。

So, although they happen no more than usual, she may notice them more and therefore think they do.

因此，尽管她们孕后与孕前的记忆力一样，她们也会对自己的孕后记忆力多加关注，结果就是，她们觉得自己也“孕傻”了。

Professor Larson said that women should realise that what they are feeling is all in their minds and if they believe their mind is working at full capacity, then it will.

拉尔森教授说道，女士们需要意识到她们的感觉都是自己的想法在作怪，如果她们相信自己的头脑处于满能量运行状态，那么就会如此。

He said that he hoped pregnant women would hear about his research findings and these would 'improve their quality of life, improve how they are functioning – they might start believing in themselves'.

他说他希望准妈妈能够听进去他的研究结果，这会“改善她们的生活质量，让她们的头脑‘运转正常’——而这一切从相信自己做起。”

Among those who have spoken out about their struggle with baby brain is actress Reese Witherspoon.

许多妈妈都曾诉说自己的“孕傻”经历，其中包括女演员——瑞茜·威瑟斯彭。

In an interview the 39-year-old opened up about how she felt after the birth of her third child, Tennessee James, in 2012.

在一次采访中，这位39岁的女演员，吐露了她在2012年生下第三个孩子（田纳西·杰姆斯）后的感受。

She said at the time: 'Ever since I had the baby, I can't remember anything. Seriously, this child stole my brain. I'm losing friendships over forgetting to get back to people.

她当时说道：“自从怀孕后，我记不得任何事情。真的，这孩子偷走了我的大脑。因为我老是忘记给朋友回复，结果我也在失去友情。

'But you can't keep up with everything. I've got a 13-year-old, a nine-year-old and a baby.'

“但你做不到赶上一切事情的步伐。我已经拥有了三个孩子，一个13岁，一个9岁，一个还是个婴孩。”

Other new mothers have said that lack of sleep and worrying about their child contributed to feeling scatterbrained.

其她新妈妈说道，她们睡眠不足，担心孩子是她们注意力不集中的缘由。

Doctors have said that surging hormones⁸ could contribute to the condition, as there is up to 40 times more progesterone and oestrogen in the body during pregnancy.

医生说过，怀孕期间，体内的孕酮和雌激素分泌比往常多达40倍，荷尔蒙的急剧上升，会导致出现这种情况。

However, others say that having a baby may actually make a woman brighter. A study from Yale University in the US found that a woman's grey matter grows in the weeks and months after she gives birth.

然而，有人说，怀孕实际上会让女人变得更聪明。美国耶鲁大学研究发现，女人在生产后几周或几个月里，大脑灰质增多了。

And it's the most doting⁹ mothers who experience the biggest burst of brain cells. It is thought the hormonal¹⁰ changes associated with having a baby supercharge the brain, helping¹¹ to prepare women for the challenges of motherhood ahead.

而且那些看似最糊涂的妈妈，其脑细胞爆发最明显。我们认为，女人怀孕后，激素的改变再加上生育对大脑的超负荷刺激，能帮助女人更好地迎接母亲这个身份带来的转变。