Australian scientists claim pregnancy can mildly impair a woman's memory, a condition which lasts at least a year after childbirth.

According to the article published in the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, memory loss during pregnancy was subtle and particularly involved new or challenging memory tasks or those that would require multitasking.

Scientists say the memory deficits caused by pregnancy are similar to those found when comparing a healthy 20-year-old with a healthy 60-year-old.

Findings showed regular, well-practiced memory tasks such as remembering phone numbers of friends and family members were unaffected during pregnancy.

Scientists believe hormone shifts, lifestyle changes and sleep deprivation during pregnancy may be the cause of the problem.

PKH/HGH