When does the baby hear

When Can a Fetus Hear: Womb Development Timeline

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Medically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph. D., MSN, R.N., CNE, COI — By Jessica Timmons on January 4, 2018

As pregnancy progresses, many women speak to the babies growing in their wombs. Some mothers-to-be sing lullabies or read stories. Others play classical music in an effort to boost brain development. Many encourage their partners to communicate with the baby too.

But when can your baby really begin to hear your voice, or any sound from inside or outside of your body? And what happens to hearing development during infancy and early childhood?

The early forming of what will become your baby’s eyes and ears begins in the second month of your pregnancy. That’s when the cells inside the developing embryo begin arranging themselves into what will become the face, brain, nose, eyes, and ears.

At roughly 9 weeks, little indentations in the side of your baby’s neck appear as the ears continue to form on both the inside and the outside. Eventually, these indentations will begin moving upward before developing into what you’ll recognize as your baby’s ears.

Around 18 weeks of pregnancy, your little one hears their very first sounds. By 24 weeks, those little ears are rapidly developing. Your baby’s sensitivity to sound will improve even more as the weeks pass.

The limited sounds your baby hears around this point in your pregnancy are noises you may not even notice. They are the sounds of your body. These include your beating heart, air moving in and out of your lungs, your growling stomach, and even the sound of blood moving through the umbilical cord.

As your baby grows, more sounds will become audible to them.

Around week 25 or 26, babies in the womb have been shown to respond to voices and noise. Recordings taken in the uterus reveal that noises from outside of the womb are muted by about half.

That’s because there’s no open air in the uterus. Your baby is surrounded by amniotic fluid and wrapped in the layers of your body. That means all noises from outside your body will be muffled.

The most significant sound your baby hears in the womb is your voice. In the third trimester, your baby can already recognize it. They will respond with an increased heart rate that suggests they are more alert when you’re speaking.

As for classical music, there’s no evidence that it will improve a baby’s IQ. But there’s no harm in playing music for your baby. In fact, you can continue with the normal sounds of your daily life as your pregnancy progresses.

While prolonged noise exposure may be linked to fetal hearing loss, its effects aren’t well-known. If you spend a lot of your time in an especially noisy environment, consider making changes during pregnancy to be safe. But the occasional noisy event shouldn’t pose a problem.

About 1 to 3 of every 1,000 babies will be born with hearing loss. Causes of hearing loss can include:

premature delivery
time in the neonatal intensive care unit
high bilirubin that requires a transfusion
certain medications
family history
frequent ear infections
meningitis
exposure to very loud sounds

Most children born with a hearing loss will be diagnosed through a screening test. Others will develop hearing loss later in childhood.

According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, you should learn what to expect as your baby grows. Understanding what is considered normal will help you determine if and when you should consult a doctor. Use the checklist below as a guide.

From birth to around 3 months, your baby should:

react to loud noise, including while breastfeeding or bottle-feeding
calm down or smile when you speak to them
recognize your voice
coo
have different types of crying to signal different needs

From 4 to 6 months, your baby should:

track you with their eyes
respond to changes in your tone
notice toys that make noise
notice music
make babbling and gurgling sounds
laugh

From 7 months to 1 year, your baby should:

play games like peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake
turn in the direction of sounds
listen when you’re speaking to them
understand a few words (“water,” “mama,” “shoes”)
babble with noticeable groups of sounds
babble to get attention
communicate by waving or holding up their arms

Babies learn and develop at their own pace. But if you’re concerned that your baby isn’t meeting the milestones listed above in an appropriate time frame, consult with your doctor.

Last medically reviewed on January 5, 2018

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2nd Trimester

How we reviewed this article:

Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Blackburn S. (2013). Maternal, fetal, and neonatal physiology. (4th ed.). Seattle, WA: Saunders.
Fetal development: Stages of growth. (2014).
my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/7247-fetal-development-stages-of-growth
Hearing evaluation in children. (2016).
kidshealth.org/PageManager.jsp?dn=KidsHealth&lic=1&ps=107&cat_id=192&article_set=22902
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2017). Fetal development: The second trimester.
mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/fetal-development/art-20046151
Pierson LL. (1996). Hazards of noise exposure on fetal hearing [Abstract]. DOI:
10.1016/S0146-0005(96)80054-1
Your baby’s hearing and communicative development checklist. (2010).
nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/pages/silence.aspx

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Current Version

Jan 5, 2018

Written By

Jessica Timmons

Edited By

Nizam Khan (TechSpace)

Medically Reviewed By

Debra Sullivan, PhD, MSN, RN, CNE, COI

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Medically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., CNE, COI — By Jessica Timmons on January 4, 2018

When can a fetus hear? What babies hear in the womb.

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Your baby will hear sounds inside your body, like your heartbeat, between 16 and 22 weeks of pregnancy. And after 23 weeks, your little one will be able to make out your voice, your partner's voice, and other sounds from outside your womb. Noises from inside your body muffle the sounds your baby hears, but they can hear your voice more clearly than all others.

Photo credit: Katie Rain for BabyCenter

By the time you reach your third trimester, your little one is eavesdropping on your conversations, hearing the sound of your heartbeat, and even enjoying the music you listen to. But it takes a while for this to happen, and there are many steps along the way. Find out how your baby's ears and hearing develop inside the womb.

When can a fetus hear?

Between 16 and 22 weeks of pregnancy, your baby may start to hear faint sounds inside your body such as the noise made by your breathing, heartbeat, and digestion. These sounds will grow louder as your baby's hearing improves.

After 23 weeks, your baby can hear sounds from the outside world, including your voice. At first, your baby's ears can hear only low-pitched sounds, meaning babies in the womb can generally hear male voices better than female voices. However, your own voice will sound loud to your baby because it's close and reverberates through your body as you speak. Research shows babies learn to recognize their mother's voice inside the womb, and show a clear preference for her voice over others.

As your baby's ears and brain mature, they'll gradually perceive a wider range of sounds, including more voices in the higher ranges.

At around 26 weeks, your baby may begin to respond to the sounds they hear with changes in their heartbeat, breathing, and movement. If the noise is particularly loud, your baby may startle – and you might feel your baby move. Ultrasounds have also caught changes in babies' facial expressions when they hear music.

When do babies develop ears?

Your baby's ears start developing in the first weeks of pregnancy, and aren't fully formed until the third trimester. The ear is a remarkably complex organ, with three separate parts (the inner ear, middle ear, and outer ear). Each of these structures develops on its own timetable.

Inner ear development. By 5 weeks of pregnancy, two small spots appear on either side of your baby's head – these eventually become the inner ears. Soon they'll start to fold inward and form sacs just beneath the surface of your baby's skin. The sacs then lengthen into a tube, and the main organ of hearing (cochlea) takes shape at the end.
Middle ear development. Around 8 weeks of pregnancy, the ear bones – tiny structures that vibrate and help process sounds – begin as small clumps of tissue that slowly harden over the coming weeks. A tube-like cavity that will become the middle ear begins to form around these structures.
Ear-brain connection. Around 12 weeks of pregnancy, specialized sound transmitters called hair cells spring up inside the cochlea and eventually connect to a nerve that sends sound impulses to the brain. This connection is made at about 16 weeks, when your baby may start to hear faint sounds.
Ears fully formed. By 32 to 35 weeks of pregnancy, the middle ear cavity, outer ear canal, and outside part of the ear are fully formed. Your baby is ready to listen and respond to the sounds they'll hear as soon as they're born.

What babies hear in the womb

The noises and voices your baby hears from the outside world sound muffled. That's because they have to pass through multiple layers, including your skin and the wall of your uterus as well as the amniotic fluid. Plus, it's noisy inside your uterus – sounds from your breathing, heartbeat, and digestion are as loud to your baby as a washing machine.

That said, your baby will hear your voice more clearly than all others. That's because the sound of your voice reverberates through your body when you speak. Research suggests babies in the womb may become more alert when they hear their mom talking or reading aloud.

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Sounds your baby hears in the womb contribute to hearing and brain development, which will continue once your baby is born. You and your partner don't need to do anything special to facilitate this.

How to support your baby's hearing during pregnancy

You can take steps to protect your baby's hearing such as:

Be careful with medications. Taking certain drugs during pregnancy, including some antibiotics, has been linked to hearing loss in babies. Tell all your health care providers (even your dentist) that you're pregnant, and talk to your doctor or midwife to make sure you're taking safe medications for pregnancy.
Avoid prolonged, very loud noise. There's some evidence that long-term exposure to very loud noise – like 8 hours a day, every day – can damage your baby's hearing. Some experts recommend avoiding any routine noise louder than 115 decibels (about as loud as a chainsaw) while pregnant. It's best to avoid any noises louder than that, such as a rock concert or shooting range, as much as possible. That's true even if you're wearing hearing protection, because the noise can still travel through your body to your baby's ears. If you work in a very loud environment (say with noisy machinery or at loud events) you may want to ask your employer if you can work in a quieter location for the duration of your pregnancy.
Eat fish that's low in mercury. Fish is full of healthy omega-3 fatty acids that help your baby's brain grow and develop, but some kinds also contain high levels of mercury – which has been linked to certain birth defects, including hearing loss. To balance these risks and benefits, the U. S. Food and Drug Administration advises pregnant women to eat 8 to 12 ounces a week of low-mercury fish. Eat a variety of safe fish (such as salmon, cod, shrimp, and tilapia), and avoid the four types of fish that have the highest amounts of mercury: swordfish, tilefish, shark, and king mackerel.
Don't drink alcohol. Drinking during pregnancy can cause a group of birth defects known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). Children with an FASD can have hearing loss and trouble with speech. No one knows how much alcohol it takes to cause the condition, so it's best to be on the safe side and avoid alcohol altogether.
Play music. There's no evidence to support the myth that playing Mozart or other music for your baby in utero will make them smarter. However, evidence suggests listening to music (as well as people talking and other sounds from the environment) can help develop your baby's hearing, memory, and emotions. To protect your baby's delicate ears, make sure the music isn't too loud. Never place ear or head phones directly on your belly, as the sound will amplify to dangerous levels as it travels to your baby.

Milestones in baby hearing development

Weeks pregnant	What's happening
5 weeks	Inner ear starts to develop.
12 weeks	The cochlea and middle ear are forming, and hair cells begin to sprout.
16-22 weeks	Your baby can hear sounds inside your body, like your heart beating.
23 weeks	Your baby can hear sounds from the outside world, like a dog barking.
26 weeks	Your baby can hear a broader range of sound and can respond with changes in heartbeat, breathing, and movement.
32-35 weeks	All parts of the ear are completely formed, and your baby's hearing continues to be fine-tuned.

Learn more:

Video: How your baby's sense of hearing develops
Music and your unborn child
Slideshow: Fetal development, week by week

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Claudia Boyd-Barrett

Claudia Boyd-Barrett is a longtime journalist based in Southern California and a proud, continually adapting mom of a teenager.

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When does a baby in the womb begin to hear?

Even in the mother's womb, the baby begins to hear sounds, react to them, and even distinguish the voices of loved ones.

When does a baby begin to hear its mother in the womb?

You don't know your baby yet and you can only imagine what he will be like when he is born. The child begins to get to know you by voice even during pregnancy. Around the 12th-16th week, the baby begins to distinguish sounds, and at the 24th week it can respond to the voices of mom and dad.

Of course, the first person he is a baby is his mother. Until the child's auditory canals are formed, he can feel the vibration of your voice passing through your body, as well as your breathing and heartbeat. In the last trimester, he is already extracting some information from voices and sounds, demonstrating various reactions. What exactly the baby hears and how often you need to talk to him - read on.

How about other voices?

Your baby can hear and recognize the voices of the people around you all the time. He is already familiar with his dad's voice. The child may prefer some voice that is pleasant to him. If the voice (or any other sound) is too harsh or loud, the baby may react to it with strong jolts.

Hear music?

Do you know that the music that a child hears in the womb through the neuroendocrine system affects almost all systems and organs of the child? Depending on the type and tempo of the music, the respiratory rate, muscle tone, motility of the stomach and intestines of the baby change. Avoid loud and harsh music, let your baby listen to the classics: Mozart and Vivaldi. Calm music can even lull the baby.

How often should you talk to your child?

Of course, you need to talk to your baby as often as possible - both mom and dad. Take every opportunity to talk to your baby. Talk to yourself when you do something around the house or walk.

Scientists have proved that when hearing the voices of parents, the child reacts to their intonation and calms down, the rhythm of his heart returns to normal. Therefore, the tone of conversation should be calm, voices should be quiet. Children who constantly hear the gentle voice of their mother are born calm and balanced.

Sing songs

Sing songs to your baby. Soon you will notice that the baby can react to them - actively move.

Talk to the baby

If you already know the sex of your child, address him by the name you have chosen for him. Or come up with an affectionate nickname for the baby.

Read aloud

Read books to your baby. It can be any literature: children's or adult's that you like. If you read before bed, read aloud. This habit will come in handy when your baby is born.

Avoid noise

Try to avoid noisy places, harsh sounds and loud conversations. If the baby does not like something, he may begin to push hard.

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Hearing development in children

From birth until puberty, our organs are constantly developing and growing. Although it is not entirely obvious, this process also occurs with our ears.

Our hearing begins to develop even in the womb, but before it begins to play a significant role in our communication, interaction with others, obtaining knowledge, a certain period of time must pass.

How babies hear

When the baby, who is still in his mother's tummy, is only 9 weeks old, his ears are already beginning to form, and by 18 weeks the baby is able to hear sound. The baby can hear sounds outside the womb, but they are half muffled for him. The sounds are not clear due to the fact that the child is surrounded by water. However, he also hears various internal sounds, including the mother's heartbeat, stomach growling, and breathing.

Around the 24th week of pregnancy, the baby begins to react to sounds and voices. The brightest sound for him is the mother's voice and over time the child may well recognize it. Many moms talk to their babies while they're still in their tummy, but many of them don't know that the baby is actually hearing them.

During pregnancy, it is important not to be exposed to excessive noise for long periods of time. Although loud noises and occasional concerts cannot harm a baby, prolonged exposure to excessive noise can cause hearing loss before the baby is born.

How hearing develops

From the moment of birth, hearing continues to develop. There are children who are already born with hearing loss. There are children whose hearing is lost over time, for example, after an illness. The ideal option would be to conduct hearing tests in the first days after birth in order to identify problems at an early stage, if any, and breathe a sigh of relief if they are not. An important point in the development of a child's hearing is the presence of vaccinations, since some diseases can have complications in the form of hearing loss. Watching your child can also help you identify hearing problems before they become serious. If you have any suspicions that your child is hard of hearing, you should immediately pay a visit to the doctor.

Hearing is closely related to the development of the child and his communication with peers and adults. With the help of hearing, children follow the voice, look for the person who is speaking, can calm down from the sounds of the voice, gain knowledge, play games. All this can be seen at the stages of their development.

From birth, the only means by which children can signal their needs to adults is crying. For different needs, they can cry in different ways. They react to loud noises by crying. They recognize their mother's voice and the voices of other family members and soothe or smile to the sound of the voices of the people who care for them.

At around four to six months, babies begin to develop a better understanding of sound. They respond to changes in voice tone, follow the direction of the noise with their eyes, and can also look for the source of the noise. They notice the music, laugh and even babble to imitate speech.

By the first year, babies begin to build vocabulary and improve their understanding of sounds. They try to copy the sounds of the words around them. Many children learn simple words like "mom" or "baba" and recognize their own name. They hear when they are called and turn in the direction of the sounds. They may even communicate by raising their hands, waving, or clapping their hands.

Hearing loss detection in children

Hearing plays an important role in the overall development of the child. It is needed for communication, learning the language and understanding the world around us. If hearing is difficult or completely reduced, it will be more difficult for a child to learn to speak and communicate their needs.

Children with hearing loss may exhibit behaviors such as:

Do not respond when called by name.
Do not turn around to see where the sound is coming from.
Touching or grasping the ears (this may indicate pain or tinnitus).
Inattentive to sounds and voices around them.

Children who have learned to speak may have the following signs of hearing loss:

difficulties at school.
unusual speech patterns in the voice.
frequent complaints of earache or loud noise.
eyes are fixed on the lips of the people they are talking to (lip reading).
cannot make out words even when repeated and pronounced clearly. often say "what" or "yes".
sit close to the TV, turn up the volume or ask for subtitles.
do not respond to their name.

These hearing problems can be caused by temporary hearing loss due to ear infections, or they can be signs of a more serious problem - acquired hearing loss.

Hearing problems in children

Hearing problems in children come in three main forms:

1. congenital

occurs from birth and is usually identified at an early stage.

Congenital hearing loss can be caused by:

Genetic conditions such as autosomal recessive hearing loss

This is the most common form of genetic hearing loss. In this case, both parents are carriers of the recessive hearing loss gene and pass it on to their child.

Autosomal dominant hearing loss is the second most common and occurs when a father with a dominant gene passes it on to his child.
Genetic syndromes such as Trecker Collins Syndrome, Alport Syndrome, Down Syndrome, Ushers Syndrome and others.
Premature birth.
Maternal diseases during pregnancy, such as rubella, toxoplasmosis, herpes.
Complications at birth: lack of oxygen or need for a blood transfusion.
Abuse of drugs or alcohol by the mother.
Use of ototoxic drugs.

2. acquired

occurs after birth. Occurs as a result of injury or illness.

reasons for the acquired hearing reduction:

Head injury
Perforation (rupture) of the drum membrane
Serious infections (measles, pig, meningitis, pertime) or cough) Long -term exposure to strong noise
Minor
untreated ear infections

3. temporary

most often caused by temporary ear infections and Eustachian tube congestion.

Temporary hearing loss is often caused by ear infections and can be corrected with medication and treatment. However, if left untreated, temporary hearing loss can become chronic.

All forms of hearing loss can adversely affect a child's development and hearing. For this reason, it is important to pay close attention to how your child hears and communicates with others.