The neuroanatomy of pregnancy and postpartum

• Published in: NeuroImage (Orlando, Fla.) Fla.), 2022-11, Vol.263, p.119646-119646, Article 119646
• Main Authors: Luders, Eileen, Kurth, Florian, Sundström Poromaa, Inger
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anatomy; Brain; Brain - diagnostic imaging; Brain architecture; Estrogens; Female; Hormones; Humans; Longitudinal; Longitudinal Studies; Magnetic resonance imaging; Medical imaging; Neuroanatomy; Neuroimaging; Peripartum; Postpartum; Postpartum Period; Pregnancy; Review; Structural neuroimaging
• ISSN: 1053-8119; 1095-9572; 1095-9572
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119646

•Little is known about the effects of pregnancy and childbirth on the female brain.•Altogether there are 12 longitudinal neuroimaging studies which address this topic.•Several neuroanatomical changes seem to take place during pregnancy and postpartum.•A few studies suggest tissue decreases during pregnancy.•Most studies indicate tissue increases during postpartum. Pregnancy and giving birth are exceptional states in a woman's life for many reasons. While the effects of pregnancy and childbirth on the female body are obvious, less is known about their impact on the female brain, especially in humans. The scientific literature is still sparse but we have identified 12 longitudinal neuroimaging studies conducted in women whose brains were scanned before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and/or after giving birth. This review summarizes and discusses the reported neuroanatomical changes during pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond. Some studies suggest that pregnancy is mainly associated with tissue decreases, and a few studies suggest that this tissue loss is mostly permanent. In contrast, the majority of studies seems to indicate that the postpartum period is accompanied by substantial tissue increases throughout the entire brain. Future research is clearly warranted to replicate and extend the current findings, while addressing various limitations and shortcomings of existing studies.