In this Article
If you are pregnant and are planning to attend a music concert soon then hold on. First, find out if your baby will be fine with that loud noise or not. Here we shall be discussing the impact of loud noise on the baby in a womb, and you will also know whether it is harmful to your baby or not.
When Do Babies Start Hearing In the Womb?
Somewhere around your fifth month of pregnancy or around 22 weeks of pregnancy, your baby’s inner ear also known as cochlea will be fully formed, which will be the basis of your baby’s hearing mechanism. This means that your little munchkin will be capable of hearing what you may be hearing, though not on the same level. You may even notice that any kind of loud noise may trigger a reaction from your baby and you may find your baby move with a startle or you may feel a jumpy thud in your belly.
Are Unborn Babies Protected Against Loud Sounds?
Your baby’s ears are well protected by your stomach muscles, the placenta, and the amniotic fluid. Therefore the sounds that your baby hears may be all muffled and softer. However, every pregnancy and baby is different, and it is not known what kind or intensity of noise may be fatal for your baby’s ears. Thus it is better to be careful and cautious when it comes to loud noises. Also, loud noises may not be good for the expecting mom because it may cause the production of stress hormones. The stress hormones may raise the mother’s heart rate which is again not good for the baby.
What Kind of Sounds Are Dangerous for Pregnant Women?
Constant exposure to loud noises for longer durations may result in hearing loss in the growing foetus. Therefore, in order to protect your unborn baby, you must stay away from the following kinds of noises, which may be dangerous for a pregnant woman:
- Refrain from going to a firing area or range.
- In case you are planning on attending any concert which involves loud music, refrain from sitting in the front row.
- Stay away from the regular exposure to the loud noises of jet planes.
- Do not work in a place where you hear loud noise more than 80 decibels on a regular basis.
How Can Loud Noise Harm the Foetus?
If you are wondering can loud noise hurt a foetus, the answer is yes; loud noises may harm the foetus in the following ways:
1. It May Startle the Baby
Any kind of loud sound or loud music during pregnancy may startle your baby. As a mother, you’d notice this. Whenever you will be exposed to loud noises, it may cause your baby to move rapidly in the womb or she may register intense foetal movements.
2. It May Affect Your Baby’s Hearing
Loud music or sounds may affect the hearing ability of the unborn baby. This is because a human can bear up to 80 decibels of sounds and any sound above this level may pose a potent threat to the hearing ability. Music concerts, jet planes, or places with heavy machinery, may produce a much higher frequency of sound (110 decibels or more), which may cause damage to your baby’s hearing.
3. It May Cause Foetal Abnormalities
Any kind of exposure to loud noises in the first trimester of pregnancy or in later stages may pose a great threat to foetal abnormalities. This is because constant exposure to loud noises may lead to hypertension or stress in the expectant mother. These conditions have a direct impact on foetal development and may lead to various congenital abnormalities. It may also affect the motor skills or the ability of the baby and in some cases it may even lead to low birth weight in babies.
4. It May Induce Stress in Babies
In various studies conducted on rhesus monkeys and rats, it was observed that consistent exposure to loud noises resulted in increased amounts of cortisol and corticotrophin in the foetus. The rise in the level of these hormones is indicative of increased stress levels. Some monkey babies exhibited abnormal social behaviour, too. However, there has been no substantial study that supports that loud noise inducing stress in the growing foetus, but it adversely affected the lactogen levels of the mother.
5. It May Cause Changes in Foetal Brain Structure
In various studies conducted on different animals, it was established that loud music or loud noise of any kind might affect or cause changes in the foetal brain structure. However, similar kinds of results are expected in human babies too. Therefore, try to stay away from loud noises during pregnancy.
6. It May Increase the Risk of Preterm or Premature Babies
There are many reasons that may cause your baby to be born much before his due date, and exposure to loud noise is one of them. In some studies, it was observed that consistent exposure to loud noise might reduce the gestation period from the 40 weeks to 37 weeks.
The above-mentioned are some of the ill effects of being exposed to loud noise during pregnancy. As stated above, some of the studies do not have substantial claims supporting the ill effects of loud noise, but it is always better to exercise caution when it concerns your baby.
Can You Listen Soft Sound or Soft Music during Pregnancy?
There is no doubt that music is one thing that really makes us feel pepped up and happy. However, you might wonder if you can listen to your favourite music during pregnancy or not. The answer is yes, you can listen to music during pregnancy provided you listen to it at a lower volume or within authorised limits. Contrary to loud music, softer music has a positive impact on the mother and on her unborn baby. Music which is played at 70 decibels or lower levels than that has proved to very effective in providing calming effects to the mother and her baby. You can pick up any music or songs that you like and play that music and enjoy.
Various studies are still in progress to establish the ill effects of loud noise on the growing foetus. However, staying away from loud sounds and music can do no harm. Therefore, stay away from places where there is noise, turn that stereo down to a low volume, and skip that rock concert until your baby arrives.
