Cognitive functioning of women in pregnancy and early postpartum

Abstract

the world, it is a disruption of the biopsychosocial balance requiring readjustment, and, as such, it is a highly stressful time.Pregnancy (physiological) is defi ned as "the period and the range of changes taking place in a woman with a foetus developing in her uterus. It is a physiological condition, yet it is very demanding to the woman's body and, as such, it can easily become a pathological state, detrimental to the woman's organism, as well as the child's" [1]. The maternal pregnancy changes involve main body organs and systems and are present within the whole gestation period [2, 3]. ABSTRACT Pregnancy and early postpartum is an extremely stressful time in a woman's life. Emotional and cognitive functioning are mutually interconnected. The psyche also influences the physical health on the functional and physical basis. The physiological hormonal changes adapt woman to the development and labour of a child and reflect in the central nervous system functioning. In the presented manuscript, the basic psychological problems accompanying women in this period, as well as mutual relationships between the hormonal and central nervous systems during pregnancy and early postpartum have been presented.