Fetal responsiveness to auditory and tactile stimulation

The aim of this thesis was to examine fetal behavioural responses to auditory and tactile stimulation. Responses were examined for the second- and third-trimester fetuses (second-trimester ≤ 27 gestational weeks (wGA), third- trimester &gt;27 wGA), in both experiments, respectively.<br/><br/>Experiment 1 of this thesis examined fetal behavioural responses to the mother’s recorded and live voice, contrasting findings to an environmental sound and silent control conditions. Behavioural responses of 30 fetuses trimester (20-33 wGA, N = 13 in the 2nd and N = 17 in the 3rd trimester) Were examined in the following conditions were explored: (1) mother’s live, (2) and recorded voice, (3) an environmental sound, and (4) a silent control condition.<br/><br/>Findings showed the strongest responses to maternal sounds as well as differential responses between gestational age groups. Younger fetuses displayed an arousal response to maternal voice, whereas third-trimester fetuses displayed an orientating response.<br/><br/>The aim of Experiment 2 was to examine whether fetuses can differentiate between different human sources of tactile stimulation of the maternal abdomen. Behavioural responses of 28 fetuses (20-33 wGA, N = 15 in the 2nd and N = 13 in the 3rd trimester) were examined across four conditions: (1) mother’s, (2) father’s, and (3) stranger’s touch, as well as a (4) silent control condition. Differential responses to the tactile stimulation were found, especially in reaching of the uterine wall, and self- touch across the four conditions. Third- trimester fetuses touched the uterus wall for significantly longer than fetuses in the second-trimester. The strongest responses were found to the mother’s touch. Further differential responses were found between age groups, with third-trimester fetuses clearly differentiating between different sources of tactile stimulation, while second-trimester fetuses hardly showed differentiated responses.<br/><br/>It is suggested that maturational differences in both experiments are due to the fetal development of the central nervous system, and might indicate the emergence of a proprioceptive self-awareness by the 3rd trimester.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Doctor of Philosophy

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Doctoral Thesis

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Dundee

Year dc:date.issued

2018

Author dc:creator

• Marx, Viola

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Nagy, Emese
• Ross, Josephine

• Fetus
• Fetal Psychology
• Mother
• Touch
• Tactile
• Ultrasound

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

oai:discovery.dundee.ac.uk:studenttheses/c3a21d95-627d-4f82-be92-d6dc9c3837b9

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:discovery.dundee.ac.uk:studenttheses/c3a21d95-627d-4f82-be92-d6dc9c3837b9