Despite the finding that women report memory problems in pregnancy, there is little evidence for an objective memory deficit on retrospective-type tests, such as recall, recognition, and priming. Two other areas, prospective memory and working memory, have not been investigated to date. The aims of this study were to examine the nature of memory complaints in pregnancy, and three possible origins of objective memory deficits: (i) inefficient self-initiated retrieval processes as revealed by

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... prospective memory; (ii) inefficient working memory; and (iii) a selective memory deficit specific to non-pregnancy material (i.e., a content specificity effect). These aims were investigated using a memory perception questionnaire, and objective tests of prospective memory, working memory, and recognition. In addition, this investigation addressed the possibility that subjective or objective memory deficits may be attributable to factors other than pregnancy, including depression, anxiety, and sleep loss. Compared to non-pregnant women («=30) of the same age and educational level, pregnant women («=30) perceived that deterioration had occurred in all areas of memory that were assessed, including retrospective memory, prospective memory, and working memory. In addition, informants of the women confirmed this finding, suggesting that the women's reports were valid. In pregnant women, depressive symptoms, as measured by a non-somatic cognitive scale, were associated with memory complaints. However, pregnant women were no more depressed than the controls.