logo
episode-header-image
May 2025
25m 24s

How Pregnancy Reshapes the Brain

CNN
About this episode
What actually happens in the brain during pregnancy? Cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Laura Pritschet joins Dr. Sanjay Gupta to unpack the hormonal shifts and brain changes that support new parenthood and how understanding them could reshape the way we think about women’s health.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 
Up next
Yesterday
Believe Your Brain Destined to Decline? Think Again
Most of us assume major brain decline and memory loss are inevitable as we age, but research shows that’s not the case. So what does it take to keep your brain healthy and even help it grow? Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks to neurologist and neuroscientist Dr. Majid Fotuhi about his new b ... Show More
38m 1s
Mar 10
Here’s Why You Should Take Your Shoes off at the Door...Please
Whether it’s a cultural custom or hygiene preference, many households keep a strict no-shoes policy. But, how much healthier does it really keep us? Dr. Sanjay Gupta gets to the bottom of your shoes -- literally. Plus, tips on how to manage stress and anxiety when the news cycle ... Show More
16m 14s
Mar 6
Could Caring for Others Change Your Brain for the Better?
We all know caregiving takes time, energy, and emotional bandwidth — but it may also change us for the better. Sanjay sits down with writer Elissa Strauss, author of When You Care: The Unexpected Magic of Caregiving, to explore how caregiving affects the brain, why it could be go ... Show More
30m 4s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2024
The sweeping reorganisation of the brain in pregnancy, and why it matters
Ian Sample talks to Dr Laura Pritschet, a postdoctoral fellow of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania, about her research using precision scans to capture the profound changes that sweep across the brain during pregnancy. She explains what this new work reveals about how ... Show More
14m 25s
Jun 2025
“Dad brain”: How becoming a parent changes the brain, with Darby Saxbe, PhD
Becoming a parent is a huge life transition. Now, researchers are finding evidence that parenthood actually changes the brain – and these changes happen to fathers as well as to mothers. Darby Saxbe, PhD, talks about the hormonal and brain shifts that occur in new moms and dads; ... Show More
35m 36s
Jun 2025
The Ultimate Guide to the Female Brain: Neuroscientist Reveals How to Boost Mood, Energy, & Focus
<p>This episode will change how you understand your brain – and yourself. </p><p>If you’ve ever felt like your brain is working against you – think brain fog, mood swings, and exhaustion – you’re not crazy, you’re not broken, and it’s not your fault. </p><p>Today, world-renowned ... Show More
1h 17m
Dec 2022
48 | Celui où on parlait du cerveau lors de la grossesse
tail spinning
14m 20s
May 2025
Cortisol Face, Abby’s Pre-Eclampsia Story, & a Fresh Look at HRT
In this episode of From First Period to Last Period, Rescripted Co-Founder Abby Mercado shares her harrowing experience with pre-eclampsia — a life-threatening pregnancy complication that escalated quickly and almost cost her her life. Her story is a powerful reminder of why awar ... Show More
40m 49s
Nov 2025
The Hidden Trimester That Determines Fertility | ft. Vida Delrahim and Ronit Menashe
I used to assume conception began at the first sign of pregnancy — until I learned about Trimester Zero. The 100-day window before conception may be the most powerful period in shaping your baby’s lifelong health — and your own. In this minisode, I sit down with Vida Delrahim and ... Show More
10m 55s
Oct 2025
Women's Brain Health: Environment, Hormones, Menopause & Neuronal Pruning with Dr. Sarah McKay
Dr. Sarah McKay, a brilliant neuroscientist, takes us on a thrilling adventure into the intricate dance between hormones and the female brain during menopause. She shares her personal quest to unravel how those mischievous hormonal shifts tweak women's brains from 40 onwards, rev ... Show More
1h 36m
Sep 2025
#992 - Dr Sarah Hill - The Period Brain: How Hormones Change Women’s Behaviour
Dr Sarah Hill is a professor at TCU, a research psychologist, expert in women’s hormones and brain science, and an author. Each month, women experience hormonal changes that go far beyond the clichés of PMS. These shifts can influence mood, stress response, and even how women rel ... Show More
1h 39m
Mar 2024
Your Brain On... Being A Woman
<p dir="ltr">Are there differences between the brains of women and men?</p> <p dir="ltr">In this episode of Your Brain On, we explore the unique aspects of the female brain, and how the male-biased history of medical science has left us with enormous gaps in our knowledge of wome ... Show More
23m 11s
Jul 2024
625 Optimal Health + Hormones with Dr. Stephanie Estima
I am so excited to welcome world-renowned health expert on female-centric healthcare, Dr. Stephanie Estima, to the show! We're talking all about optimal health and hormones, discussing the changes we typically see as we move into perimenopause and menopause, and finding out how w ... Show More
39m 15s