‘Baby brain’ phenomenon could cause excessive weight gain during pregnancy, new study shows

THE “baby brain” phenomenon experienced by pregnant women could be causing them to gain too much weight, putting them and their baby at risk.

A new world first trial will investigate whether baby brain during pregnancy causes women to overeat during pregnancy. With growing numbers of overweight and obese mums to be, researchers at Deakin Uni are trying to work out if the common memory lapses and cognitive changes during pregnancy could be to blame. A study participant, Jayde Taulien, at 29 weeks, resists the food on offer. Picture: Alex Coppel.

THE “baby brain” phenomenon experienced by pregnant women could be causing them to gain too much weight, putting them and their baby at risk.

Half of all Australian women gain too much weight during pregnancy, but a world-first trial by Victorian researchers will work out whether a cognitive drain could be partly to blame.

Deakin University psychology lecturer Dr Melissa Hayden said prior research had shown people who struggled with their weight were unable to control their brain’s response to high-calorie foods.

A similar ­response may occur during pregnancy.

One area the Victorian team is interested in is cognitive changes, specifically impulse control and self-regulation.

This involves our ability to make plans and decisions and inhibit unwanted thoughts and behaviours.

“It can be hard to sustain self-regulation when you are in challenging situations, such as in a negative mood or overwhelmed by temptation,” Dr Hayden said.

World first trial to investigate whether ‘baby brain’ causes women to over eat.

They want to determine if self-regulation is weakened during pregnancy, a busy period in a woman’s life with hormonal and physiological changes to contend with.

There is still some conjecture about the existence of “baby brain”, which women say can make them forgetful and unable to multi-task, because scientific tests often fail to prove cognitive decline.

But Dr Hayden said this may be due to the fact the tests were conducted in the laboratory not in real-world settings.

As part of their study, 80 women will undergo two- hour cognitive neuroscience tests where their responses to food and non-food stimuli will be assessed by monitoring eye movements and the brain’s electrical activity.

The researchers hope that by better understanding the factors involved, it will lead to improvements in interventions to control excessive weight gain in pregnancy.

“We need to help people get over the perception that you are eating for two,” Dr Hayden said.

Guidelines show women who are of a healthy weight before pregnancy should gain 11.5-16kg, while those who were overweight should aim for 7-11.5kg.

Excessive weight gain puts women at risk of developing gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia and hypertension.

It may also make their offspring more at risk of becoming obese.

To take part in the trial women need to be 16 to 36 weeks pregnant. Candidates should contact the researchers on 03 9244 6538 or email [e-mail]

Participants will get a $30 Coles Group and Myer gift voucher for their time.

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