Postpartum & hormonal changes: What’s fact and what’s myth? 🧠
Feeling down after birth is common, but postpartum depression isn’t just “baby blues.” Around 13-20% of new parents experience postpartum depression, 10% face postpartum anxiety, and 1% experience postpartum psychosis (1,7). Knowing the signs is key.
What about hormonal birth control? Despite common concerns, research finds no consistent link between hormonal contraceptives and depression in adults – though some risks exist for adolescents.
Let’s clear up some confusion about Postpartum, birth control and depression.
Feeling down after birth is common, but is isn’t just "baby blues." Knowing the signs is key.
See more here 👉https://scienceupfirst.com/womens-health/pregnancy-and-contraceptive-brain-changes/
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“Baby brain”, also known as “mommy brain”, “pregnancy brain” or “momnesia,” is often characterized by increased forgetfulness of appointments, dates and names, and a loss of focus on things other than the baby. Around 70% of pregnant individuals have memory complaints, but when tested in a laboratory setting, no cognitive deficits are seen. In fact, pregnant individuals showed better long-term memory and ease at learning and retaining new information about baby-related items (1,2).
While brain volume does decrease during pregnancy, it bounces back within 2 years after giving birth. In fact, these changes in grey matter are not a sign of decline but rather a natural process that enhances communication between different brain regions. This “rewiring” fosters greater attachment with the baby and supports the emotional and cognitive shifts needed for caregiving (3-11).
Believing in “mommy brain” can make people more aware of forgetfulness, reinforcing the idea that it’s real. It also ignores the physical and mental load of pregnancy and parenting, which can explain why focus and memory may feel different (1).
It’s time to rethink the narrative around “baby brain”. Instead of viewing it as a deficit, we can appreciate it as an example of the brain’s adaptability – a natural, temporary rewiring to meet the demands of a new life stage (1).
Is “mommy brain” real? Not in the way you think!
It’s time to rethink the narrative – “mommy brain” isn’t a deficit, it’s an adaptation. Learn more in our latest post! 👉 scienceupfirst.com/womens-healt…
There is a lot of misconception about periods, which makes them often seen as shameful. They are not. They are a normal and healthy part of many people’s lives.
Let’s start talking about menstruation with these five common misconceptions:
Period is not a synonym for the menstrual cycle, but a distinct phase of it.
Not only women have their periods.
Menstruating people can still get pregnant while on their period.
PMS exists even if we don’t fully understand it.
Period blood is not dirty and the smell of it is normal.
First, let’s clear things up: abortion ends a pregnancy, not the life of a child who has already been born (1). An ‘after-birth abortion’ is not a real thing.
Second, the misconception that abortions that take place after 20 weeks, are common and involve the k*lling of newborns is not only false but also dangerous. *Note: ‘late-term abortion’ is not a medical term but a political one.
The reality is, the vast majority of abortions happen before 20 weeks. In fact, almost 87% are performed during the first trimester* (i.e. first 12 weeks). Abortions performed after 21 weeks are extremely rare, representing an estimated 1.29% of all abortions performed in Canada (2). They typically occur under very sensitive circumstances, often after a diagnosis of a severe fetal abnormality or a serious health threat detected later in pregnancy (1,3,4,5).
People who oppose abortion will often use these rare cases to elicit an emotional response and push for broader restrictions on all abortions. But abortion in the second and third trimester of pregnancy is a medical necessity for a small number of people facing severe health challenges (4,6).
*Data collection on abortions is done by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) (7). Note that as of 2021, CIHI no longer collects gestational age and complication rates from hospitals because this data represents only a small proportion of abortions in Canada, and is not representative of all abortions across all settings. The data mentioned here was collected in 2020 and reported in 2024.
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Emergency contraception is often confused with abortion pills, but they are not the same!
Morning-after pills are a type of emergency contraception used to prevent pregnancy, and indirectly abortion, while abortion pills are used to end an established pregnancy.
Both are essential to reduce mortality from unsafe abortion among women and gender diverse individuals.
Claims that hormonal contraceptives, such as The Pill, cause depression are rampant on social media, but what are the facts?
There is currently no clear evidence that hormonal contraception directly causes depression (21). It is possible that different methods of hormone administration or formulation have different types of effects, but the evidence remains unclear. If the method you are using currently is not working for you, speak to your provider (1,25,26).
While the evidence remains unclear, people with a history of depression should alert their provider to this fact when choosing contraceptive options so they can be monitored for any potential recurrence (28).
A big thank you to @pwhrcanada for assisting on this post!
So, how many questions on the menstrual cycle and fertility did you get right?
12 to 16 days before the start of menstruation, an egg, from either of the two ovaries, will mature and be released (17,18,19,20). While ovulation only happens once every menstrual cycle, some people might release more than one egg at once. This is known as hyperovulation, which can lead to fraternal twins if fertilization of both eggs occurs (21,22).
Hormonal contraceptives prevent the release of an egg from the ovaries. Without ovulation, there can be no pregnancy (23).
If a mature egg is released from the ovary, it will travel down the fallopian tube where it might encounter sperm cells and get fertilized. Once out of the ovary, the egg only lives 12 to 24 hours (17,18). However, sperm cells can live up to 5 days in the body. Hence the fertility window (i.e. when a pregnancy is possible) begins 5 days before and during ovulation (i.e. 6-day window) (17,24,25). It is not possible to become pregnant outside of that 6-day fertility window.
The upper part of the uterus has two tube-like structures, called the fallopian tubes, protruding from either side of the uterus (26).
When an egg is ready to be released it signals the fallopian tube to get closer. The fallopian tube closest to the ovulating ovary will use its hair-like cell to create a current that will catch the egg and move it toward the uterus (27,28). Strangely enough, the fallopian tubes are not directly attached to the ovaries (27). This means that if one fallopian tube is not functioning properly or needs to be removed, the remaining healthy tube can move between ovaries and catch the released eggs. Thus, the removal of one fallopian tube (i.e. salpingectomy) does not affect the ovulation frequency or the person’s chances of getting pregnant (29,30,31).
If no egg has been fertilized by a sperm cell, the endometrium, the thick layer of tissue lining the uterus, will slowly detach and make its way down through the cervix and exit the body through the vagina – a.k.a menstruation (1,2,3). This happens each cycle.
Dark period blood is simply older blood that has oxidized due to being exposed to oxygen for longer. It usually happens at the end and/or at the start of a period. The color of your blood alone is usually nothing to worry about. Talk with a healthcare professional if you notice unusual pain or bleeding, or changes in your volume’s flow or cycle length (3,4,5,6).
Just like everyone’s cycle is different, the amount of blood a person loses during their periods also varies. Anything between 20 to 80 mL (4 teaspoons to a third of a cup) is considered normal.
Losing more than 80 milliliters of blood per cycle, bleeding for longer than 7 days, having to change pads/tampons regularly during the night or every 2 hours or less during the day, and/or passing blood clots over 25 mm long or the size of a quarter or more, is considered heavy bleeding (i.e. menorrhagia). People that are experiencing heavy bleeding, symptoms of weakness, fatigue, dizziness, or shortness of breath during their periods should talk with their healthcare professional (7,8,9,10,11,12).
Retrograde menstruation describes the backward flow of menstrual blood through the fallopian tubes into the pelvic cavity, rather than exiting the body through the vagina as usual. While it is fairly common, the exact cause is unclear (13,14).
Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) can greatly improve quality of life by reducing symptoms and certain risks caused by the hormonal changes happening during the natural transition towards and after menopause.
MHT is about the balance between benefits and risks, which should be discussed and re-evaluated often with a healthcare professional (5,8).
*Note*: There are distinctions in recommendations depending on the type of MHT. For example, systemic MHT will go into the bloodstream and deliver hormones to multiple organs and tissues, while vaginal MHT is only localized (6). Stay tuned for a post on the differences between these two. Feel free to ask us if you have questions about these differences.
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Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) can greatly improve quality of life by reducing symptoms and certain risks caused by the hormonal changes happening during the natural transition towards and after menopause.#ScienceUpFirst#WomensHealthEvidence
You might be surprised to learn that it is only when a person with a uterus has not had their periods for over 12 months that they are officially considered menopausal.
The periods leading to menopause, where many hormonal changes happen, is called perimenopause. Knowing the difference between menopause and perimenopause is important especially if hormonal treatments are considered.
Keep your eye out for our post on progesterone for perimenopausal night sweats and menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) coming soon.
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While both are characterized by hormonal changes, menopause and perimenopause are two distinct phases.#ScienceUpFirst
When it comes to pregnancy, there are a lot of misconceptions.
We’re here to help you sort fact from fiction.
Claim: You should not dye your hair while pregnant.
False. Though some chemicals contained in hair dyes might cause harm, this is only so in very high concentrations which is not the case with current permanent and semi-permanent dyes (34,35,36).
Also, the dye is mostly in contact with your scalp and the small amount that your skin could absorb probably won’t ever reach your baby (35,36).
To be on the safer side, wait to be in your second trimester before dying your hair and try to decrease your usage frequency as much as possible (34,35,36).
Claim: Taking a warm bath or going into a hot tub can hurt the baby.
True. Staying in warm water for an extended period of time will raise your body temperature. At this point, your body might try to cool you down without success and leave you feeling faint (38).
A rise in your body’s temperature can also harm your baby, especially in the first trimester (38). Try to avoid sitting in water warmer than 35-40॰C or in a hot sauna for longer than 20 min (38,39).
Claim: You shouldn’t drink alcohol during pregnancy.
True. To date, there is no determined amount of alcohol or alcohol type that can be safely consumed during pregnancy. For this reason, it is advised to avoid consuming alcohol while pregnant or planning to become pregnant (10,12,13,14).
Claim: You can’t drink coffee during pregnancy.
False. You can safely drink coffee while pregnant. However, you need to limit your caffeine consumption to 200 to 300 mg per day (6,7,10). Keep in mind that other food such as cola, tea, energy drink and chocolate can contain caffeine as well (6).
*Some herbal teas are not safe to drink during pregnancy (i.e. chamomile tea). Make sure to check with your healthcare provider first (10).
Claim: More frequent heartburn means you will have a hairy baby.
True. Research has found a correlation between heartburn and the amount of hair a baby is born with (18,19,20).
However, heartburn itself is probably not the culprit.
Instead, scientists think that the hormones estrogen and progesterone might be at play. Both promote fetal hair growth, but can also cause heartburn during pregnancy (18,19).
Claim: You should avoid eating pineapple during pregnancy.
False. There is a misconception that pineapple juice causes miscarriages if consumed early during pregnancy and induces labour if consumed later on (24).
One study on rats found that drinking pineapple juice did not induce labor (25).
Another study, also made on rats, found that, when applied directly to the uterus, pineapple juice might stimulate uterine activity (26).
Another study found that pineapple juice did induce contraction in the lab, but once given to, you’ve guessed it, live rats it did not cause miscarriage and all rat babies were born at term (27).
So unless you plan on applying pineapple juice directly into your uterus, eating pineapple during your pregnancy is safe and a good source of nutrients and even folic acid (28,29). It might, however, cause heartburn as it is very acidic (28,30).
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When it comes to pregnancy, there are a lot of misconceptions.
