Design: Systematic review of 42 studies with exploratory meta-analyses
Population: Women in pregnancy and the postpartum period
Primary outcome: Association of depressive and anxiety symptoms with memory, attention and cognitive flexibility
Effect: Consistent link with self-reported complaints (6 studies); objective findings inconsistent

A systematic review of 42 studies examined whether depressive and anxiety symptoms in pregnancy and after birth are associated with memory, attention and cognitive flexibility.

The most consistent finding was that depressive symptoms went with self-reported cognitive complaints, across six studies. Objective tests of working memory, attention and cognitive flexibility gave inconsistent results; verbal and recognition memory showed no association. Most studies were cross-sectional and rarely measured anxiety.

For the clinic, a woman who reports forgetfulness in pregnancy or after birth may be telling you about her mood. The complaint deserves a mood screen rather than reassurance alone.

When a pregnant or postpartum woman reports forgetfulness or poor concentration, screen for depression and anxiety.
Ask about sleep and workload, which may explain cognitive complaints as much as mood does.
Avoid telling women that pregnancy reliably impairs objective memory — the evidence does not show it.
Use a validated tool such as the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale when screening.

Why it matters

A cognitive complaint may be the way perinatal depression first presents.

The statistics, in plain English

The review counted how many studies (k) addressed each domain. With only three studies on autobiographical memory, that signal is fragile. Inconsistent results across 24 attention studies mean no reliable effect either way.