Another 21 women who weren't pregnant and had never had any children also completed the three-hour set of tests.
另外21位未懷孕且從未生育的女士同樣完成了這些長達三小時的系列測試.
There were no differences between the two groups in memory, thinking, attention span, organisational or spatial skills.
結果顯示：被測試的兩組女性在記憶力、思維、注意力持續(xù)時間、組織技能或空間方位感上的表現,并無差異.
Whether the tests were taken during pregnancy or when looking after a young baby, the women did just as well as those who had never been pregnant.
在測試中,媽媽們無論是在懷孕期間,還是在照顧寶寶期間,都表現得完全與未曾懷過孕的女士們一樣好.
However, when asked how they had performed, the pregnant women and new mothers thought they had done worse. They also said they had a lower quality of life and were less satisfied with their lot.
然而,當被問及先前的表現時,準媽媽或新媽媽都會覺得自己做得更糟.她們還表示,她們的生活質量變差了,生活狀況也不那么如意.
Psychology professor Michael Larson, lead author of the study, said: 'I was surprised at how strong the feeling was that they weren't performing well.
作為此次研究的領頭人,心理學教授邁克爾•拉爾森說道："她們對自己表現不好的感覺是如此強烈,這著實讓我驚訝."
'This feeling of, "I really am doing badly right now" exists despite the objective evidence that they aren't.'
"盡管有客觀依據表明'孕傻'并不存在,但這種'我現在確實表現得很糟糕'的情緒還存在."
Writing in the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, Professor Larson said that the expectation of baby brain may be so strong that a pregnant woman is extra-alert to memory lapses.
拉爾森教授在《臨床和實驗神經心理學雜志》上寫道,孕婦對"孕傻"的預期那么強烈,以至于老覺得自己的記憶力在衰退.
So, although they happen no more than usual, she may notice them more and therefore think they do.
