Fetal Senses and Development

What an Unborn Baby's Life is like

Scientists used to believe that a developing fetus could not experience pain, or other physical sensations but many of these beliefs have been disproved in the past few decades. What is the truth about fetal senses and development? 

Movement: Probably the first big milestone of fetal development is the heartbeat. Amazing how quickly this big step is taken; at about three weeks of gestational age (g.a.). This is often near the time a mother is first realizing she is pregnant. So soon and already the fetal movements are beginning. By week ten, but as early as week six, a fetus is moving, stretching and turning it’s head and limbs about. Within another month a cycle of rest and wakefulness is established ad the fetus begins interacting with its environment. It is also responsive to the world outside the womb by week fifteen at the latest; reacting to laughter, sneezing, coughing and other movements by the mother. 

Taste and Smell: Science has now linked these two senses more closely together with the discovery of taste buds and olfactory receptors that are highly complex. While we knew that fetus’ could taste in the womb, it was only in recent years that the ability of fetus’ to smell was considered. As more research has been done on fetal responses to various stimuli, the complexities that have been discovered are astounding. 

Over 120 different scents have been detected in the amniotic fluid that a fetus can “smell” by breathing in. If a mother lights up a cigarette her infant responds in negative ways; when a mother is drinking coffee a fetus reacts in ways that make it clear to researcher’s they “recognize” the smell! (Regardless of whether the coffee was decaf or regular) It was known that scent played a big role in early breastfeeding success but now we are learning that the foundation for that recognition begins in the womb.