They found that postmenopausal women who had their last pregnancy after age 35 had better verbal memory as they aged.
“Previous research has shown that many women experience brainpower and memory declines in their postmenopausal years. An outpouring of estrogen and progesterone, especially in later life, appears to be beneficial,” Karim said.
The study also found that women who used hormonal birth control for more than 10 years, or who started their menstrual cycle before turning 13 giving them a longer menstrual life, also had better mental power after menopause.
“Starting your period early means you have higher levels of the female sex hormone being produced by the ovaries,” Karim said. “Girls are receiving the optimal levels early, so it’s possible that their brain structures are better developed compared to those who are exposed to estrogen levels associated with menstrual cycles at a later age.”
And oral contraception (birth control pills) “maintain and sustain a stable level of sex hormones in our blood stream,” Karim said. “Stable is good.”
Amazingly, those women who hadn’t carried their baby to term, and those who had more than one child after age 35, also had better overall cognitive ability, verbal memory and executive function when compared to women who had only one full-term pregnancy.
So embrace those hormones – “older” mums. They appear to be protective of your cognitive function as you age – even though while you are pregnant you might experience “pregnancy brain” and lose your grip on your sharp memory and ability to come up with the right word at the right time!
Hannah Schenker is a freelance writer, editor and regular contributor to The Natural Parent Magazine. She lives with a touch of magic in Golden Bay, New Zealand.
