Music during pregnancy – how does it affect the unborn child? What does science say?

Can music during pregnancy promote a baby's development? Can an unborn child perceive sounds, remember them, and even recognize them after birth? These questions occupy many expectant parents. Music accompanies us in everyday life: It helps us relax, lifts our mood, and can be a wonderful way to build a connection with your child even before birth.

However, even if the idea that music can positively influence a baby's development is very tempting, it is worth taking a closer look at the scientific findings. Studies show that fetuses react to acoustic stimuli. Some research results also indicate that they may be able to perceive, process, and potentially recognize certain sounds before birth. This does not mean, however, that listening to music automatically increases a child's intelligence or guarantees better development.

When can a baby in the womb hear?

An unborn child's hearing develops gradually. As the auditory system matures, the fetus increasingly reacts to acoustic stimuli. Especially in the second half of pregnancy, sounds from the mother's environment can reach the child. In doing so, they are muffled and altered by the tissues of the mother's body and the amniotic fluid.

The mother's voice plays a special role. The child is familiar with it even before birth, as it perceives both outside sounds and the portions of the mother's voice transmitted through her body. Thus, the acoustic environment becomes part of its prenatal experience.

Music is a more complex stimulus than a single tone. It consists of rhythm, melody, and varying sound intensities and can therefore trigger different reactions. However, the fact that a fetus reacts to music does not mean that it perceives it in the same way as an adult.

Does the unborn child react to music?

Scientific investigations indicate that acoustic stimuli can be accompanied by changes in the fetus's movement activity and heart rate. How the child reacts depends, among other things, on the type of sound, the stage of development, and previous contact with the specific sound.

An example of this is a pilot study by Brillo and colleagues, which was published in 2021 in the journal The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine. 30 mother-fetus pairs participated in the study. The researchers observed that playing a previously heard piece of music again was associated with changes in fetal movements and increases in heart rate. No comparable significant reaction pattern was seen with unknown music.

These results are interesting because they suggest that earlier acoustic experiences could influence the fetus's later reactions. However, this was a pilot study with a small number of participants. It cannot be inferred from this that regular music listening brings long-term benefits for the child's development.

Can a baby remember music before it is born?

A particularly exciting question is whether an unborn child can learn acoustic stimuli and retain them in memory before birth.

In 2023, Movalled and colleagues published a systematic review in the journal BMC Pediatrics titled The impact of sound stimulations during pregnancy on fetal learning: a systematic review. It examined eight studies that focused on learning processes as a response to acoustic stimuli during pregnancy.

Seven of the evaluated studies reported results suggesting that newborns may react differently to sounds or stimuli they were exposed to before birth. This could be an indication that basic forms of learning and auditory memory emerge before birth.

These results should, however, be interpreted with caution. The studies differed in their methods, the sounds used, and the measurement of reactions. The authors of the review also pointed to limitations in the quality of the available evidence.

What does this mean for expectant parents? It is possible that a child becomes familiar with certain sound patterns while still in the womb. However, there is insufficient scientific evidence that listening to specific pieces of music improves a child's intelligence, language development, or later musical abilities.

Does classical music promote a baby's brain development?

The widespread idea that classical music during pregnancy makes a child more intelligent is not sufficiently supported by science.

Some research on prenatal sound perception suggests that fetuses can become accustomed to recurring acoustic stimuli and show signs of learning processes. However, this is not synonymous with a proven advantage for later cognitive development.

There is also no convincing evidence that classical music is more effective in this regard than other genres of music. If an expectant mother prefers to listen to jazz, instrumental music, soft pop music, or other genres, she does not need to change her preferences because she believes only classical music can promote her child's development.

The distinction between an immediate reaction to a stimulus and long-term effects on development is crucial. To prove that a certain genre of music improves cognitive abilities, methodologically high-quality studies would be required that examine the children's development even after birth and take further influencing factors into account.

Music during pregnancy and the well-being of the expectant mother

Music can play a role not only in the unborn child's acoustic experiences but also in the mother's well-being.

Listening to your own favorite music can contribute to relaxation, improve your mood, and help you cope with tension. This can be important during pregnancy, as this phase of life is often accompanied by uncertainty, stress, and emotional changes.

In 2024, a systematic review was published that examined the influence of music-based interventions on maternal and fetal parameters. The authors evaluated 13 studies. The results suggested that such interventions might reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms in pregnant women. However, the studies differed in their quality and methodology.

A systematic review with meta-analysis by He and colleagues from 2021 included nine studies with a total of 1,419 pregnant women. The analysis showed no statistically significant changes in fetal heart rate, the number of fetal movements, or heart rate accelerations in connection with music therapy.

These results illustrate that potential benefits for the mother's well-being do not necessarily lead to measurable physiological changes in the unborn child. Music can be a valuable part of daily relaxation. However, it should be understood neither as a treatment for psychological complaints nor as a method to guarantee a healthy development of the child.

How can you safely listen to music during pregnancy?

If an expectant mother enjoys listening to music, there is generally no reason to stop. Nevertheless, a few simple tips make sense:

• Pay attention to a comfortable volume. Music does not need to be very loud for the unborn child to react to acoustic stimuli.
• Avoid long-lasting, intense noise. This is especially important in the workplace or at concerts with very high sound levels.
• Do not place headphones directly on the stomach. There is no convincing scientific evidence that this approach offers additional benefits for the child's development.
• Listen to the music you like yourself. Neither a specific genre of music nor a special listening schedule is required.
• View music as an opportunity for relaxation, not an obligation. An expectant mother does not need to play music for her baby every day to support its development.

Anyone who is worried about potential noise exposure at work, at concerts, or under special conditions should discuss this with their attending doctor.

Is it worth listening to music during pregnancy?

From a scientific perspective, the answer is: Yes, if it brings the expectant mother joy and the music is listened to at a comfortable volume. Studies to date show that fetuses react to acoustic stimuli. Some results also suggest that they can learn sounds and remember certain tones even before birth.

At the same time, the existing scientific findings are not sufficient to claim that listening to music increases intelligence, accelerates brain development, or leads to better cognitive abilities in the long term. Research on the effects of music on the physiological parameters of the fetus also does not yet provide a completely uniform picture.

Therefore, it is most sensible to view music as a natural part of everyday life that can contribute to relaxation and create beautiful moments shared during pregnancy. It is not necessary to search for the perfect piece of music or special methods to stimulate the unborn child. Sometimes a quiet evening, your own favorite melody, and a little time to take a breath are enough.