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Auditory Development of Fetus: An Overview

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Let's find out in the article the encouraging facts related to what and when the baby can hear during pregnancy.

Written by

Dr. Arjun Singh

Medically reviewed by

Dr. Daswani Deepti Puranlal

Published At November 30, 2023
Reviewed AtNovember 30, 2023

Introduction:

The baby benefits greatly from the voices. Both while the fetus is still in the womb and when the baby finally meets as a newborn, studies indicate that the sound of it is calming. It has been documented by scientists that unborn babies are particularly responsive to the sound of their mother's voice and clearly respond to various vibrations and sounds in conjunction with changes in their heart rate or movement patterns. They have come to the conclusion as a result of this that the unborn child learns to recognize and remember the voice while the mother is pregnant. This indicates that the conversations they have with their baby during the third trimester are laying the groundwork for their social and emotional growth, as well as their ability to communicate in language and retain information.

What and When Can a Fetus Hear?

Individuals frequently keep thinking about whether an embryo can hear while in the belly. A lot of expecting parents will talk to their unborn child or play music for them. Proof recommends that the hearable framework begins shaping at the 87th stretch of pregnancy and keeps on creating until the child is somewhere in the range of five and a half years old.

The fetus's hearing will play a role in this process. The fetus can hear at various developmental stages. Hearing in the womb and throughout development, a fetus will acquire hearing abilities.

The development of ears in a fetus begins during the second month of pregnancy despite being about the size of a lentil. The ears start as minuscule folds of skin on the sides of the head. The embryo develops into a fetus after the eighth week. The fetus may be able to hear when the ears start to stick out of the head at 18 weeks. The brain begins to label the regions that will control smell, taste, vision, touch, and sound at this point.

By close to about four months of pregnancy, almost certainly, structures in the ears are framed sufficiently that the child might have the option to begin distinguishing a few sounds.

In point of fact, the sound of air entering and leaving the lungs, the gurgle in the stomach, and the beat of the heart are among the first sounds a baby hears. The fetus starts to hear more of the world aside from the womb as its hearing develops.

By 22 to 24 weeks, the hatchling will be around the size of a small fist and will begin to hear low-recurrence commotions from beyond the belly. A growing number of distinct sounds will be distinguishable by the fetus as it grows and develops listening.

The most crucial period for hearing development is between the ages of 5 and 6 months and 25 weeks of pregnancy. Babies will be able to turn their heads or eyes in the direction of a sound by the time they are six months old. Babies in the United States generally get a consultation test prior to leaving the emergency clinic or no less than three weeks after birth.

Can They Distinguish Between Various Voices?

A fetus can not tell different voices apart at first. A fetus can hear low frequencies, like the sound of a lawnmower or a dog barking, but it starts responding to sound between 22 and 24 weeks.

This range expands as the brain and auditory system continue to develop. The fetus is able to distinguish between voices and other sounds by the end of pregnancy.

Do Loud Noises Harm The Fetus?

A lot of people wonder if going to a loud show or having a job in a noisy environment while pregnant is safe. While it is unlikely that hearing loud sounds on occasion will cause harm, prolonged exposure to loud noises may cause a baby to lose their hearing.

The following are some examples of jobs that are considered to be noisy:

  • Uproarious music.

  • Swarms.

  • Alarms.

  • Trucks.

  • Planes.

  • Hardware.

  • Firearms.

Specialists are uncertain of what commotion levels are okay for creating embryos.

However, taking into account the way sound travels through the body, they advise pregnant women to stay away from situations that exceed 115 decibels or are about as loud as a chainsaw.

Is the Baby Aware of Her Father’s Voice?

The baby in the womb prefers her mother's voice to that of her father. Even though a two-day-old baby can tell the difference between her father's voice and that of another man, it does not prefer the father's voice. This suggests that the fetus experiences his mother's voice more frequently than the father's. Surprisingly, some babies still have no preference for their father's voice at four months.

Is the Baby Able to Hear Music?

The sounds that a fetus hears around the 23rd week of pregnancy are crucial to their hearing in the future. These sounds are necessary for certain parts of the auditory system to develop properly. Therefore, scientists suggest that a fetus be exposed to both speech and music.

Although there is little evidence to support this claim, many people believe that playing classical music to a growing fetus will aid in brain development and increase intellect.

What Does It Sound Like in the Belly?

In the womb, there is noise. All kinds of sounds coming from the woman's body will be encountered by the fetus's auditory system as it develops. The sounds of the digestive and blood circulation systems, as well as the heartbeat, are examples of these.

The fetus will also be able to hear sounds from outside the womb around the 23rd week of pregnancy. Music and speech are two examples. All of the sounds will become more distinct and louder as the fetus grows. The developing fetus in the womb is surrounded by amniotic fluid, and the mother's body tissues encase them, making external sounds muffled.

Conclusion:

During pregnancy, a fetus begins to develop its ears relatively early. In any case, hearing is not created until the hear-able framework, the cerebrum, and certain pathways begin to shape, which generally happens between weeks 22 and 24. The hear-able framework requires excitement through discourse, music, and different sounds to develop appropriately. The fetus will get better at hearing as it goes along.

After birth, a baby's hearing continues to develop until about five or six months of age.

Talking to the baby while they are still in the womb helps them form a lasting bond, even if it seems silly or one-sided. Additionally, bonding with the growing baby aids in development. It is simple to do, and the father can participate as well. Conversing with the developing child is really gainful for the fetus. As a result, keep talking and contributing to the development of the newborn baby's hearing.

Dr. Daswani Deepti Puranlal
Dr. Daswani Deepti Puranlal

Obstetrics and Gynecology

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