• Question: why do pregnant women act differently?

    Asked by KittyKat to Chris, Georgina, Kristi, Laura, Livia on 7 Nov 2017.
    • Photo: Kristi Sawyer

      Kristi Sawyer answered on 7 Nov 2017:

      Pregnancy is a time in a woman’s life when a lot of changes will be happening. Levels of hormones such as oestrogen will be a lot higher in pregnancy compared to normal life, so this can lead to mood swings or other mood changes. Also, preparing for the arrival of a new baby can make a family quite busy, so this can also lead to a woman acting differently.

    • Photo: Livia Carvalho

      Livia Carvalho answered on 7 Nov 2017:

      There are several changes in molecules in the body of a pregnant women, particularly in hormones that will allow the baby to grow and develop. These hormones also affect our brains and behaviour!

    • Photo: Laura Ginesi

      Laura Ginesi answered on 7 Nov 2017:

      I know sometimes it can be hard to imagine what it might be like having a baby growing inside – but the growing baby has a placenta that is making lots of hormones like oestrogen to maintain the pregnancy. This is all a normal part of pregnancy.

      Some of the hormone changes mean that the mother’s body is making sure the unborn baby is growing and developing during the nine months.

      Some of the changes that happen are in the mother’s brain – so her moods sometimes swing, some women have very vivid dreams; some changes are in behaviour too. It’s a normal part of becoming a mother and the physiology of getting ready to have a baby.

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