Second Pregnancy Fine-Tunes the Brain Beyond the First
TL;DR
A Dutch-led study comparing brain scans before/after second pregnancies with first-time and never-pregnant women found that a second pregnancy induces distinctive brain changes—especially in networks processing sensory input and attention—and shows gray-matter reductions likely due to neuroplasticity, not degeneration; while some adaptations mirror the first pregnancy, the second brings additional refinements to support raising two children, with potential links to bonding and maternal mental health.
- Second Pregnancy Does Something Unique to The Brain, Study Reveals ScienceAlert
- Pregnant women's brains shed grey matter to prime them for motherhood, study suggests BBC
- ‘Baby brain’ really does befuddle new mothers — but that may be a good thing The Times
- Pregnancy May Reduce Fear Permanently, Scientists Reveal Newsweek
- I was infantalised for having 'baby brain' - it was a neurological change Metro.co.uk
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