Compromised verbal episodic memory with intact visual and procedural memory during pregnancy

Abstract

This study investigated episodic and procedural memory performance in early and late pregnancy. Twenty-six women in the third trimester of pregnancy, 20 women in the first trimester of pregnancy, and 24 nonpregnant controls were administered a battery of verbal and visual episodic memory tasks and two procedural memory tasks. Results indicated that compared to controls, both pregnant groups had reduced scores on immediate and delayed verbal episodic memory tasks, but were unimpaired on visual and procedural memory tasks. Verbal memory differences could not be accounted for by mood state or attention; however, progesterone level accounted for a small amount of the variation. Although memory differences were minor, the perception of memory problems may have implications for everyday living for pregnant women.

Keywords:

• Pregnant
• Explicit
• Implicit
• Recall
• Recognition
• Attention

Acknowledgments

This research was funded by La Trobe University and the Austin Health Medical Research Foundation. The authors have indicated no financial conflicts of interest. The authors would like to thank the staff at the Austin Health Sleep Laboratory for their support of this project, and we appreciate the valuable contribution made by each of the research participants.