By Vicki Clinebell http://www.momtastic.com/pregnancy/382375-pregnancy-brain/

Your skin is glowing, you look radiant, but somehow you feel a little…dim. Uh-oh! Maybe you’re starting to worry just a bit: does being pregnant make you dumber? Of course not…but scientific research published in the American Journal of Neuroradiologyhas shown a definite link between brain cell volumes and pregnancy.

One of the symptoms of pregnancy that comes as a surprise to first-timers is the effect hormones can have on brain cells. While your women friends who’ve been through the pregnancy drill may warn you about the discomforts of pregnancy and gleefully share terrifying stories of giving birth, more often than not they’ll neglect to mention that you’re about to become more forgetful.

Research shows that the flood of hormones released during pregnancy actually decrease brain cell volume in women. The result? Pregnant women forget things more easily, so they are frequently less organized and more frustrated in the initial months of carrying. For normally responsible women, this can be especially annoying: losing their keys, forgetting appointments, and generally feeling like a scatterbrain. The good news is the brain cells do come back after giving birth, returning to their normal higher volume.

This pregnancy symptom is actually very common, and medically there’s not much that can be done about it. The best way to combat it is to always put necessary items like your cell and keys in the same place so you’ll easily find them, and to write notes and reminders to stay on track with your must-do’s. There’s nothing wrong with making lists when you need a little memory boost! Just like morning sickness and swollen ankles, pregnancy-induced forgetfulness will eventually pass.