Abstract
Data from three experimental sources are reviewed in this chapter. They indicate: (a) that maternal and external voices travel to fetal head level, (b) the near term fetus perceives and discriminates speech signals, and (c) that he/she may learn some features of speech sounds to which he/she was exposed during the last trimester of the gestation and remember them post-natally.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Abrams, R.M., Gerhardt, K.J. & Peters, AJ.M. (in press). Transmission of sound and vibration to the fetus.
Abrams, R.M., Hutchinson, A.A. & Gerhardt, K.J. & Evans, S.L. (1987). Local cerebral glucose utilization in fetal sheep exposed to noise. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 157, 456–460.
Alho, K., Sainio, K., Sajaniemi, N., Reinikainen, K. & Näätänen, R. (1990). Event-related brain potential of human newborns to pitch change of an acoustic stimulus. Electroencephalograhs and Clinical Neurophysiology, 77, pp. 151–155.
André-Thomas, A.S. (1966). Locomotion from prenatal life, Spastic Society, Heinemanr: London.
Armitage, S.E., Baldwin, B.A. and Vince, M.A. (1980). The fetal sound environment of sheep. Science, 208, 1173–1174.
Barden, T.P., Peltzman, P. & Graham, J.T. (1968). Human fetal electroencephalographic response to intrauterine acoustic signals. American Journal Obstetrics and Gynecology, 100, 1128–1134.
Bench, R.J. (1968). Sound transmission to the human fetus through the maternal abdominal wall. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 113, 1172–1174.
Benzaquen, S., Gagnon, R., Hunse, C. & Foreman, J. (1990). The intrauterine sound environment of the human fetus during labor. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 163, 484–490.
Birnholz, J.C. & Benacerraf, B.B. (1983). The development of the human fetal hearing. Science, 222, 516–518.
Brazelton, T.B. (1978). The remarquable talents of the newborn. Birth and the Family Journal, 5, 4–10.
Busnel, M-C. (1979). Mesures intravaginales du niveau et des distorsions acoustiques de bruits maternels. Electrodiagnostic Therapie, 16, 142.
Busnel, M-C, & Granier-Deferre, C. (1983). And what of fetal audition? In: A. Oliveirio, M. Zappella (Eds.), The Behaviour of Human Infants. Life Sci. Coll., New-York:Plenum Press.
Clarkson, M.G. & Berg, W.K. (1983). Cardiac orienting and vowel discrimination in newborns: crucial stimulus parameters. Child Development, 54, 162–171.
Crade, M. & Lovett, S. (1988). Fetal response to sound stimulation: Preliminary report exploring use of sound stimulation in routine obstetrical ultrasound examinations. Journal of Ultrasound Médecine, 7, 499–503.
DeCasper, A.J. & Fifer, W.P. (1980). Of human bonding: newborns prefer their mother’s voice. Science, 208, 1174–1176.
DeCasper, A.J. & Prescott, P.A. (1984). Human newborns’ perception of male voices: preference, discrimination, and reinforcing value. Developmental Psychobiology, 17, 481–491.
DeCasper, A.J., & Spence, M.J. (1986). Prenatal maternal speech influences newborn’s perception of speech sounds. Infant Behavior and Development, 9, 133–150.
Divon, M.Y., Platt, L.D., Cantrell, C.J., Smith, C.V., Yeh, S.Y. & Paul, R.H. (1985). Evoked fetal startle response: A possible intrauterine neurological examination. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 153, 454–456.
Druzin, M.L., Edersheim, T.G., Hutson, J.M. & Bond, A.L. (1989). The effect of vobroacoustic stimulation on the nonstress test at gestational ages of thirty-two weeks or less. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 161, 1476–1478.
Dwornicka, B., Jasienska, A., Smolarz, W. & Wawryk, R. (1964). Attempt of determining the fetal reaction to acoustic stimulation. Acta-Oto-Laryngology (Stock.), 57, 571–574.
Fifer, W.P. (1981). Early attachment: maternal voice preference in one- and three-day-old infants, PhD. Dissertation University of Greensboro, NC.
Fifer, W.P. & Moon, C. (1989). Psychobiology of newborn auditory preferences. Seminars in Perinatology, 13, 430–433.
Forbes, H.S. & Forbes, H.B. (1927). Fetal sense reaction: hearing. Journal of Comparative Physiological Psycholology. 7, 353–355.
Gagnon, R. (1989). Acoustic stimulation: Effect on heart rate and other biophysical variables. Clinics in Perinatology, 16, 643–660.
Gagnon, R., Hunse C., Patrick J. (1988) Fetal responses to vibratory acoustic stimulation: Influence of basal heart rate. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 259, 833–839,
Gagnon, R., Benzaquen, S & Hunse, C. (1992). The fetal sound environment during vibroacoustic stimulation in labor: Effect on fetal heart rate response. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 79, 950–955.
Gerhardt, K.J. (1989). Characteristics of the fetal sheep sound environment. Seminars in Perinatology, 13, 362–370.
Gerhardt, K.H. & Abrams, R.M., Kovaz, B.M., Gomez, K.Z. & Conlon, M. (1988). Intrauterine noise levels in pregnant ewes produced by sound applied to the abdomen. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 159, 228–252
Gottlieb, G. (1978). Development of species identification in ducklings. IV. Changes in specific perception caused by auditory deprivation. Journal of Comparative Physiological Psychology, 92, 375–387.
Graham, E.M., Peters, A.J., Abrams, R.M., Gerhardt, K.J. & Burchfield, D.J. (1991). Intraabdominal sound levels during vibroacoustic stimulation. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 164, 1140–1144.
Groome, L.J., Gotlieb, S.J., Neely, C.L., Waters, M.D. & Colwell, G.D. (1991). Development of the fetal response decrement. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (SPO Abstracts), 164, 361.
Guyomarc’h, J-C. (1974). L’empreinte auditive prénatale. Revue du Comportement Animal, t.8., 3–6.
Hammond, J. (1970). Hearing and response in the newborn. Developmental Médecine and Child Neurology, 12, 3–5.
Henschall, W.R. (1972). Intrauterine sound levels. Journal of Obstetrics Gynecology, 112, 577.
Homer, K., Servières, J. & Granier-Deferre, C. (1987). Deoxyglucose demonstration of in utero hearing in the guinea-pig fetus. Hearing Research, 26, 327–333.
Jensen, O.H. & Flottorp, G. (1982). A method for controlled sound stimulation of the human fetus. Scandinavian Audiology, 11, 145–150.
Johansson, B., Wedenberg, E. & Westin, B. (1964). Measurement of tone response by the human fetus. A preliminary report. Acta Otolaryngologic, 57, 188–192.
Kisilevsky, B.S., Muir, D.W. & Low, J.A. (1989). Human fetal response to sound as a function of stimulus intensity. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 73, 971–976.
Kisilevsky, B.S., Muir, D.W. & Low, JA. (1990). Maturation of fetal heart rate and movement responses to vibroacoustic stimulation, Proceedings 7th International Conference on Infant Studies, ICIS, Montreal,
Kisilevsky, B.S, Killen, H., Muir, D.W. & Low, J.A. (1991). Maternal and ultrasound measurements of elicited fetal movements: A méthodologic consideration. Obstetrics and Gynecology., 77, 89–892.
Krumholz, A., Felix, J.K., Goldstein, P.J. & McKenzie, E. (1985). Maturation of the brain-stem auditory evoked potential in premature infants. Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, 62, 124, 134
Kuhlman, K.A., Burns, K.A., Depp, R., Sabbagha, R.E., (1988). Ultrasonic imaging of normal fetal response to external vibratory acoustic stimulation American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 158, 47–51.
Leader, L.R., Baillie, P., Martin, B. & Vermeulen, E. (1982). The assessment and significance of habituation to a repeated stimulus by the human fetus. Early Human Development, 7, 211–283.
Lecanuet, J-P., Granier-Deferre, C., Cohen, H., Le Houezec, R., Busnel, M-C. (1986). Fetal responses to acoustic stimulation depend on heart rate variability pattern, stimulus intensity and repetition. Early Human Development, 13, 269–283.
Lecanuet, J-P., Granier-Deferre, C., DeCasper, A.J., Maugeais, R., Andrieu, A-J. & Busnel, M-C. (1987). Perception et discrimination foetale de stimuli langagiers, mise en évidence à partir de la réactivité cardiaque. Résultats préliminaires. Compte-Rendus de l’Académie des Sciences de Paris, t.305, Série III, 161–164.
Lecanuet, J-P., Granier-Deferre, C. & Busnel, M-C. (1988), Fetal cardiac and motor responses to octave-band noises as a function of central frequency, intensity and heart rate variability, Early Human Development, 18, 81–93.
Lecanuet, J-P., Granier-Deferre, C., Jacquet, A-Y. & Busnel M-C. (1992). Decelerative cardiac responsiveness to acoustical stimulation in the near term foetus. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 44b, 279–303.
Lecanuet, J-P., Gautheron, B., Locatelli, C. & Jacquet A-Y. (in preparation) In utero sheep transmission of external sounds.
Lecanuet, J-P., Granier-Deferre, C. Jacquet A-Y., Capponi, I.& Ledru, L. (submitted).
Mehler, J., Jusczyk, P., Lamberz, G., Halsted, N., Bertoncini J. & Amiel-Tison, C. (1988). A precursor of language acquisition in young infants. Cognition, 29, 143–178.
Moon, C. & Fifer, W.P. (1990). Newborns prefer a prenatal version of mother’s voice. Infant Behavior and development, 13, 530 (special ICIS issue).
Moon, C. & Panneton-Cooper, R. & Fifer, W.P. (1991). Two-day-olds prefer the maternal language, I.S.D.P Meeting, .
Murooka, H., Koie, Y. & Suda, D. (1976). Analyse des sons intrautérins et de leurs effets tranquillisants sur le nouveau-né. Journal de Gynécologie Obstétrique et de Biologie de la Reproduction, 5, 367–376.
Nijhuis, J.G., Prechtl, H.F.R., Martin, C.B. & Bots, R.S.G.M. (1982). Are there behavioural states in the human fetus? Early Human Development, 6, 177–195.
Nyman, M., Arulkumaran, S., Hsu, T.S., Ratnam, S.S., Till, O. & Westgren, M. (1991). Vibroacoustic stimulation and intrauterine sound pressure levels. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 78, 803–806.
Pasman, R.L., Näätanen, R., & Alho, K. (1991). Auditory evoked responses in prematures. Infant Behaviour and Development, 14, 129–135.
Peiper, A. (1925). Sinnesempfindugen des Kinder vor Seiner Geburt. Monatsschrift Kinderheilkunde, 29, 236–241.
Peters, A.J.M., Abrams, R.M., Gerhardt, K.J. & Burchfield, D.J. (1991a). Vibration of the abdomen in non-pregnant sheep: effect of dynamic force and surface area of vibrator. Journal of Low Frequency Noise and Vibration, 10, 92–99.
Petitjean, C., (1989). Une condition de l’audition foetale: la conduction sonore osseuse. Conséquences cliniques et applications pratiques envisagées. M.D., University of Besançon.
Preyer, W. (1882). Dies Seel Des Kinder. Fernau: Lepizig.
Pujol, R. & Uziel, A. (1986). Auditory development: Peripheral aspects. In P.F. Timiras & E. Meisami: Handbook of Human Biologie Development. C.R.C Press: Boca Raton.
Querleu, D., Renard, X. & Versyp, F. (1981). Les perceptions auditives du foetus humain. Médecine et Hygiène, 59, 2101–2110.
Querleu, D., Renard, X., Versyp, F., Paris-Delrue, L. & Crépin, G. (1988). Fetal hearing. European Journal of Obstetrics and Reproductive Biology, 29, 191–212.
Querleu, D., Renard, X., Boutteville, C. & Crepin, G. (1989). Hearing by the human fetus? Seminars in Perinatology, 13, pages.
Richards, D.S., Frentzen, B., Gerhardt, K.J., McCann, M.E. & Abrams, R.M. (1992). Sound levels in the human uterus. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 80, 186–190.
Ray, W.S. (1932). A preliminary study of fetal conditionning. Child Development, 3, 173–177.
Schmidt, W., Boos R., Gniers, J., Auer L. & Schulze, S. (1985). Fetal behavioural states and controlled sound stimulation. Early Human Development, 12, 145–153.
Schaal, B. & Orgeur, P. (1992). Olfaction in utero: Can the rodent model be generalized ? The Quartely Journal of Experimental Psychology., 44b, 245–278.
Scibetta, J.J., Rosen M.G. (1969). Response evoked by sound in the fetal guinea-pig, Obstetrics and Gynecology, 33, 830–836.
Scibetta, J.J., Rosen M.G., Hochberg, C.J. & Chick, L., (1971). Human fetal brain response to sound during labor. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 109, 82–85.
Servieres, J., Horner, K. & Granier-Defene, C. (1986). Mise en évidence de l’activité fonctionnelle du système auditif in utero du foetus de cobaye autoradiographie au (14C) 2-désoxyglucose. Compte rendu de l’Académie des Sciences, Paris, 302, série III, 37–42.
Smith, C.V., Satt, B., Phelan, J.P. & Paul, R.H. (1990). Intrauterine sound levels: intrapartum assessment with an intrauterine microphone, American Journal of Perinatology, 7, 312–315.
Spence, M.J. & DeCasper, A.J. (1987). Prenatal experience with low frequency maternal voice sounds influences neonatal perception of maternal voice samples. Infant Behavior and Development, 10, 133–142.
Staley, K., Iragui, V. & Spitz, M. (1990). The human fetal auditory evoked brainstem. Electroencephalography and clinical Neurophysiology, 77, 1–3.
Starr, A., Amlie, R.N., Martin, W.H. & Sanders, S. (1977). Development of auditory function in newborn infants revealed by auditory brainstem potentials. Pediatrics, 60, 831–839.
Tanaka, Y., Arayama, T. (1969). Fetal responses to acoustic stimuli. Practical Oto-Rhino -Laryngology, 31, 269–273.
Vince, M.A., Armitage, S.E., Baldwin, B.A., Toner, Y. & Moore, B.CJ. (1982). The sound environment of the fetal sheep Behaviour, 81, 296–315.
Vince, M.A., Billing, A.E., Baldwin B.A., Toner J.N., & Weller, C. (1985). Maternal vocalizations and other sounds in the fetal lamb’s sound environment. Early Human Development, 11, 164–170.
Walker, D.W., Grimwade, J.C. & Wood, C. (1971). Intrauterine noise: a component of the fetal environment. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 109, 91–95.
Wolff, P.H. (1969). The natural history of crying and other vocalizations in early infancy, in: B.M. Foss (Ed.), Determinants of infant behavior, vol.4, London:Methuen.
Woods, J.R. & Plessinger, M.A. (1989). Fetal sensory sequencing: Application of evoked potentials in perinatal physiology. Seminars in Perinatology, 13, 380–392.
Yao, Q.W., Jakobsson, J., Nyman, M., Rabaeus, H., Till, O., & Westgren, M. (1990). Fetal responses to different intensity levels of vibroacoustic stimulations. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 75, 206–209.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1993 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Lecanuet, JP., Granier-Deferre, C. (1993). Speech Stimuli in the Fetal Environment. In: de Boysson-Bardies, B., de Schonen, S., Jusczyk, P., McNeilage, P., Morton, J. (eds) Developmental Neurocognition: Speech and Face Processing in the First Year of Life. NATO ASI Series, vol 69. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-8234-6_20
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-8234-6_20
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-90-481-4251-4
Online ISBN: 978-94-015-8234-6
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive