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When does a fetus respond to external stimuli?
Newborns preferentially respond to maternal voice hours after birth [9–13], suggesting that the fetus is able to detect stimuli in utero and form memories of them. The earliest fetal responses to sound were reported at 16 weeks of gestation [14], much before the development of the fetal ear is complete.
Can baby feel when you touch your belly?
If you’re pregnant, you know that rubbing your belly simply makes you feel good no matter the reason. (And during pregnancy, things that feel good are always a huge bonus.) Now, a new study confirms that fetuses respond powerfully to belly touches, which may suggest that it makes them feel good, too!
When can a fetus feel touch?
By week 8 of pregnancy, your baby has developed touch receptors in his face — mostly on his lips and nose — that connect to his growing brain. Over the next few months, touch receptors start to form all over, including his genitals, palms and the soles of his feet by week 12 and the abdomen by week 17.
Can loud noises hurt a fetus?
Increased noise levels can cause stress. This can cause changes in a pregnant woman’s body that can affect her developing baby. Sound can travel through your body and reach your baby. Although this sound will be muffled in the womb, very loud noises may still be able to damage your baby’s hearing.
Can a fetus can respond to external stimuli?
The fetus is clearly able to respond to various external stimuli. The nature of the response is related to gestational age, intact neurologic function, and also the behavioral state of the fetus. The fetus who responds to the stimulus with an acceptable acceleration is uniformly nonacidotic.
What week can a baby hear?
At around 18 weeks of pregnancy, your unborn baby will start being able to hear sounds in your body like your heartbeat. At 27 to 29 weeks (6 to 7 months), they can hear some sounds outside your body too, like your voice.