A landmark new study is challenging everything we thought we knew about baby brain, and the findings might surprise you. Research has found that women lose nearly five per cent of their brain’s grey matter during pregnancy, but researchers say the change is not only normal, it is actually essential preparation for motherhood. The study, led by Professor Susana Carmona at the Gregorio Marañón Health Research Institute in Madrid, and described as the largest of its kind, tracked women’s brains before conception, throughout pregnancy, and after birth. The findings challenged many common misconceptions about baby brain. © Getty ImagesResearch shows that changes to pregnant women’s brains can support bonding What the research found Using neuroimaging techniques, the study found a reduction and partial recovery of almost five per cent of grey matter in the brain, especially in regions linked to social cognition. The affected areas are concentrated in the parts of the brain responsible for reading emotions, interpreting social signals, and attuning to others – many of the skills demanded by new motherhood. The study …