Evaluation of fetal exposure to environmental noise using a computer-generated model

Pierre Gélat (), Elwin van’t Wout, Reza Haqshenas, Andrew Melbourne, Anna L. David, Nada Mufti, Julian Henriques, Aude Thibaut de Maisières and Eric Jauniaux
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Pierre Gélat: University College London
Elwin van’t Wout: Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Reza Haqshenas: University College London
Andrew Melbourne: King’s College London
Anna L. David: University College London
Nada Mufti: University College London
Julian Henriques: Goldsmiths University of London
Aude Thibaut de Maisières: Sonic Womb Productions Limited
Eric Jauniaux: University College London

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: Abstract Acoustic noise can have profound effects on wellbeing, impacting the health of pregnant women and their fetus. Mounting evidence suggests neural memory traces are formed by auditory learning in utero. A better understanding of the fetal auditory environment is therefore critical to avoid exposure to damaging noise levels. Using anatomical data from MRI scans of pregnant patients ( $$N=4$$ N = 4 ) from 24 weeks of gestation, we develop a computational model to quantify fetal exposure to acoustic field. We obtain acoustic transfer characteristics across the human audio range and pressure maps in transverse planes passing through the uterus at 5 kHz, 10 kHz and 20 kHz, showcasing multiple scattering and modal patterns. Our calculations show that the sound transmitted in utero is attenuated by as little as 6 dB below 1 kHz, confirming results from animal studies that the maternal abdomen and pelvis do not shelter the fetus from external noise.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-58983-0

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