General · 4 March 2026
Mothers' brains change during pregnancy to bond with babies.
Researchers in Spain utilised MRI technology to scan 127 expectant mothers before, during, and after pregnancy. The data reveals that brain tissue required for empathy shrinks significantly during this period. Rather than causing deficits, experts suggest this rewiring process improves a mother’s ability to connect with her baby. Greater structural reductions were linked to stronger relationships between the parent and newborn.
Reported by BBC · How we write briefs