Study, 1979
How do brain waves change after giving birth compared to pregnancy?
Brain wave patterns become stronger and show more activity after delivery compared to late pregnancy at week 32. Anxiety and irritability improve after delivery, and these changes do not appear in women who are not pregnant or postpartum.
What they did
Brain electrical activity was measured in women at 32 weeks of pregnancy and after delivery. A control group of non-pregnant women was also measured for comparison.
What they found
Both the height and power of alpha brain waves increased significantly after delivery compared to 32 weeks of pregnancy. Controls did not show these increases. Anxiety, tension, and irritability significantly decreased after delivery.
What it means for you
Giving birth produces measurable changes in brain activity connected to improved mood. The study did not clearly specify the total number of women in each group.
32 weeks
Pregnancy measurement timing
About the study
- Original title
- Alpha increase in puerperium
- Authors
- Giaquinto S, Marciano F, Nolfe G
- Journal
- Electroencephalography and clinical neurophysiology
- Year
- 1979
- Study design
- Study
- What was tested
- None
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/0013-4694(79)90069-5
Topics
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