The question of whether fetuses can cry in the womb is an interesting one that many expecting parents wonder about. This article will examine the evidence around fetal crying and provide a definitive answer to this common question.
Can fetuses cry in the womb?
The short answer is yes, fetuses can and do cry in the womb. However, it may not be crying in the same way that babies cry once they are born. Fetal crying involves movements of the mouth and expressions of distress, but there is no audible sound produced in the womb.
Research using 4D ultrasound imaging has shown that fetuses move their mouths and tongues as early as the 11th week of pregnancy, suggesting practice crying behaviors. More mature fetuses in the third trimester have been observed exhibiting crying motions like quivering lips and chin, open mouthed expressions, and rhythmic mouthing movements when under stimuli like needle punctures during blood sampling.
These fetal crying activities indicate that the neural circuitry required for crying is present and functional well before birth. However, the uterine environment muffles any potential sound that is produced. So while fetuses appear to go through the motions of crying, parents cannot hear audible cries until after the baby is born.
When do fetuses begin practicing crying?
Fetuses begin exhibiting motions associated with crying during the second trimester of pregnancy, between 14 and 26 weeks gestation. Here is a timeline of when crying milestones emerge:
- 14 weeks – Fetuses begin practice breathing movements, essential for crying
- 18 weeks – Sucking motions involving the tongue appear
- 24 weeks – Isolated mouth opening and closing movements observed
- 26 weeks – Combinations of complex mouth and tongue motions associated with crying emerge
While the exact timing may vary slightly among different fetuses, most will develop coordinated facial movements needed for crying by the 26th week of development.
Why do fetuses appear to cry in the womb?
There are a few key reasons why fetuses may go through crying motions before birth:
- Practice and development – Fetuses exercise their facial muscles and neural connections in preparation for crying after birth. The practice helps strengthen the pathways and coordination required for actual crying.
- Reflex response – Crying motions may be triggered by external stimuli like a needle prick or internal discomfort. Facial expressions of distress are a reflex reaction.
- Communication – Some researchers speculate that fetal crying is a form of rudimentary communication signaling pain, hunger, or other unmet needs.
Most experts believe fetal crying is primarily practice for true crying after birth, but discomfort and communication may also play a role in triggering the crying reflex.
What triggers fetal crying?
A number of internal and external factors can stimulate fetal crying practice in the womb:
- Hormonal changes
- Pain or discomfort from conditions like umbilical cord entanglement
- External poking or prodding of the mother’s abdomen
- Noise loud enough to penetrate the uterine wall
- Taste and swallowing of amniotic fluid
- Bright light passing through the mother’s abdomen
In most cases, the exact trigger of crying motions is unknown. But anything that overwhelms the fetus’s developing senses or causes discomfort could potentially elicit a bout of crying. The most common identifiable trigger is thought to be puncturing the amniotic sac with a needle during procedures like amniocentesis.
Do fetal crying motions mean a problem?
Most of the time, observed fetal crying is perfectly normal and not a sign of issues. Crying is simply a reflex infants practice in preparation for being born. However, persistent, exaggerated, or abnormal facial expressions may potentially reflect a problem such as:
- Physical defects like cleft lip/palate interfering with mouth motions
- A neurologic disorder impacting nerve signaling
- Abnormal stimulation like maternal drug abuse
- Underlying anatomical issues with the head/neck
- Discomfort from conditions like an umbilical cord knot
If fetal crying motions appear consistently exaggerated or atypical, further ultrasound examination and testing may be warranted. But in most cases, crying is just a normal part of prenatal development.
Do crying fetuses mean a smart baby?
Some people wonder if a fetus that displays lots of crying activity in the womb will translate to a smarter more developmentally advanced baby after birth. However, there is no evidence that abundant fetal crying indicates intelligence or is a marker of future achievement.
More important factors for cognitive development and intelligence include:
- Genetics
- Nutrition during pregnancy
- The home environment after birth
- Parental interaction and stimulation
- Exposure to toxins like lead
While fetal crying does represent a milestone of neural development, the amount of crying in the womb does not directly predict the baby’s abilities or intelligence after birth.
Can you hear fetal crying noises in the womb?
Despite going through the motions of crying, fetuses remain silent from within the amniotic sac. The uterine environment effectively muffles any noises they produce. Therefore, fetal crying cannot be heard from outside the womb in almost all circumstances.
However, there are a few very rare reports of audible fetal crying being detected on ultrasound. The sounds tend to be very faint grunting or cooing noises rather than loud wailing cries. Cases like this suggest certain sounds may penetrate the uterine barrier at low volumes under unique conditions.
But for the most part, fetal crying produces no external sound. Parents will not hear their baby’s voice until after delivery when the newborn vocal cords are exposed to air.
When can you expect to hear your baby cry?
Babies typically let out their first audible cries almost immediately after being born. The sequence often goes:
- Baby’s head emerges
- Air makes contact with vocal cords
- Lungs inflate with first breaths
- Loud wailing cries begin
Those first newborn cries after delivery are often the most memorable and emotional ones parents experience. Hearing your baby’s cries for the first time is a significant milestone.
If your baby is born via C-section, it may take slightly longer for crying to start since the fluid isn’t squeezed from the lungs during the birthing canal journey. But within the first minute or two after delivery, parents can expect to hear those impactful first cries.
Do premature babies cry in the womb?
Yes, premature fetuses are capable of exhibiting crying motions in the womb just like full term fetuses. However, preemies likely don’t cry with the same vigor or frequency.
Here’s how premature fetal crying may differ:
- Less coordinated mouth and tongue movements due to developmental immaturity
- Weaker facial muscle contractions leading to “slow motion” appearing cries
- Shorter crying periods followed by fatigue due to limited stamina
- Impaired rhythmic sucking motions due to low muscle tone
While preemies in the womb can cry, their underdeveloped state limits their abilities. But with time in the NICU after birth, most preemies mature quickly and soon achieve healthy newborn crying abilities.
When do premature babies cry on their own after birth?
For very preterm babies born more than 10 weeks early, it may take days or weeks after delivery before they are developed enough to cry on their own. Here is an approximate timeline:
- 24-27 weeks gestation – Crying begins around 3-4 weeks after birth
- 28-31 weeks gestation – Crying begins around 1-2 weeks after birth
- 32-36 weeks gestation – Crying begins within days after birth
With medical care in the NICU to gain weight and develop, most preemies can cry successfully within their first month of life. Hearing those first cries is an emotional milestone for parents of preemies.
Fetal crying FAQs
Why do I feel thumping in my belly when my baby cries?
The thumping sensations mothers feel when their baby cries in the womb are caused by the large muscle contractions involved in crying. When the fetus contracts abdominal muscles to cry, the force presses outward against the uterine wall which the mother feels as thumps.
Do fetal cries mean a healthy baby?
Strong fetal crying activity is a positive sign of normal development, but the absence of crying does not necessarily signal a problem. There is a wide range of normal when it comes to fetal crying in the womb.
How are fetal cries different from newborn cries?
The main difference between fetal and newborn cries is that fetal cries make no audible sound. While fetuses go through the motions, the uterine environment muffles the sound. After birth, the cries become loud and distinct.
Should you worry if you don’t feel your baby cry in the womb?
Lack of felt fetal crying does not inherently mean something is wrong. Factors like the placenta position and amount of amniotic fluid can prevent mothers from feeling crying motions. Consult your doctor if concerned, but in most cases, all is well.
Do loud noises make fetuses cry?
Extremely loud external noises like concerts or explosions that penetrate the abdominal barrier can possibly stimulate fetal crying as a reflexive reaction. But normal ambient noise levels outside the womb do not impact fetal crying.
Conclusion
In summary, fetuses appear to go through crying motions in the womb by the third trimester as practice for their rapidly approaching lives outside the womb. While this prenatal crying cannot be heard externally, it represents an important developmental milestone that confirms the fetus’s intricate nervous system is maturing as it should.
Hearing your newborn’s first audible cries at delivery remains a profoundly meaningful experience for parents, even though they went through silent practice runs during pregnancy. With a healthy pregnancy, you can expect your baby’s vocal cords to kick into high gear within those first few magical moments after birth when you finally get to meet your little one face to face.