---
title: How do brain waves change after giving birth compared to pregnancy?
description: Brain wave patterns become stronger and show more activity after delivery compared to late pregnancy at week 32. Anxiety and irritability improve after delive
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/alpha-increase-in-puerperium-1979/
---

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- How do brain waves change after giving birth compared to pregnancy?

Study, 1979

# How do brain waves change after giving birth compared to pregnancy?

Brain wave patterns become stronger and show more activity after delivery compared to late pregnancy at week 32. Anxiety and irritability improve after delivery, and these changes do not appear in women who are not pregnant or postpartum.

 Early or limited evidence

Women during late pregnancy and after giving birth, with a control group

## What they did

Brain electrical activity was measured in women at 32 weeks of pregnancy and after delivery. A control group of non-pregnant women was also measured for comparison.

## What they found

Both the height and power of alpha brain waves increased significantly after delivery compared to 32 weeks of pregnancy. Controls did not show these increases. Anxiety, tension, and irritability significantly decreased after delivery.

## What it means for you

Giving birth produces measurable changes in brain activity connected to improved mood. The study did not clearly specify the total number of women in each group.

32 weeks

Pregnancy measurement timing

## About the study

Original title Alpha increase in puerperium Authors Giaquinto S, Marciano F, Nolfe G Journal Electroencephalography and clinical neurophysiology Year 1979 Study design Study What was tested None Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/0013-4694(79)90069-5](https://doi.org/10.1016/0013-4694(79)90069-5)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Diuretics and other drugs](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-diuretics-other-drugs/)[Pregnancy and postpartum](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-postpartum/)

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Review, 2010

Can neurosteroids help with anxiety and brain disorders?

Randomised trial, 2006

Do different types of PMS symptoms respond better to different medicines?

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