Emotional‐cognitive differences during pregnancy

Adaptations for motherhood

Bibliographic Data

ID7802766
AuthorsCatrine Sejer (Neurocognition and Emotion Across Disorders of the Brain (NEAD) Centre Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark), Kamilla W Miskowiak (0000-0003-2572-1384, Mental Health Services, corresponding author), Anne Juul Bjertrup (0000-0002-2726-9777, Neurocognition and Emotion Across Disorders of the Brain (NEAD) Centre Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark)
Year2026
Volume47
Issue1
Pagese70046-e70046
Publication date2026-01-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInfant Mental Health Journal (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0163-9641 • E-ISSN: 1097-0355
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/imhj.70046
PMID41047522
OpenAlexW4414843224
LanguageEN
References cited56

Emerging research suggests that unique adaptations in emotional cognition prepare pregnant women for motherhood. This study compared emotional‐cognitive responses to infant stimuli in 44 pregnant and 34 non‐pregnant Danish participants and explored associations with postpartum outcomes in pregnant participants. Emotional‐cognitive responses included facial expressions, skin conductance responses, visual attention, and emotional ratings of multi‐modal infant stimuli, including virtual reality. Postpartum outcomes were assessed with questionnaires covering maternal well‐being, bonding, reflective functioning, and emotional responses during their own infant cries. Pregnant participants exhibited higher skin conductance responses, more positive facial expressions, and less negative self‐reported emotional reactions to infant stimuli compared to non‐pregnant participants, with no differences in visual attention. More positive facial expressions to infant faces and vocalizations among pregnant may reflect an adaptive maternal positivity bias, because it correlated with better maternal bonding to their own infant at six months postpartum. Limitations include the cross‐sectional design, which makes it difficult to determine whether group differences are pregnancy‐driven adaptations, as opposed to findings from alternative longitudinal designs. Nevertheless, the observed differences and positive associations with maternal outcomes are consistent with previous studies, suggesting that pregnancy involves emotional–cognitive adaptations that support the transition to motherhood

Adaptive functioning · Cognition · Facial expression · Longitudinal study · Maternal sensitivity · Postpartum period · Pregnancy · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum · Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior

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