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Music devices for the fetus? An evaluation of pregnancy music belts

  • Michael Jahn EMAIL logo , Jochen Müller-Mazzotta and Birgit Arabin
Published/Copyright: August 13, 2015
Journal of Perinatal Medicine
From the journal Journal of Perinatal Medicine Volume 44 Issue 6

Abstract

Background:

The implementation of music during pregnancy is a topic of interest for parents-to-be accompanied by a growing commercial interest. We evaluated acoustic properties of commercially available music devices.

Materials and methods:

Sound characteristics of three different music devices designed for fetal acoustical stimulation were analyzed. A white noise sample was presented at a high volume to produce a standardized acoustic stimulus. Sound emissions were registered for each loudspeaker with a sound level meter in order to document the sound pressure levels (SPLs) and to analyze the long-term averaged spectra (LTAS) with the help of PRAAT-sound-analyzing software. Measurements were conducted in open air and under attenuated conditions with interposition of a pork uterus of 5 mm thickness covered by porcine tissue from the abdominal wall of either 3 or 5 cm thickness.

Results:

Under attenuated conditions, SPLs of all three devices were hardly detectable and interfered with the basal noise of around 50–55 dB (SPL), particularly low and high frequencies ranges were attenuated.

Conclusion:

Pregnancy music belts seem to be a useless tool to support fetal development. The poor sound characteristics of the loudspeakers and the concept of an isolated stimulation appear not promising to effectively support the complex multimodal maturation of the sensory system. Traditional implementation of music appears maternal singing appears more reasonable.

Keywords: Bonding; early cognitive development; fetal hearing; maternal stress; Mozart effect; music devices; perinatal music programs
Corresponding author: Michael Jahn, MD, Center for Mother and Child of the Philipps University Marburg, Baldingerstr. 1 35033 Marburg, Germany, in cooperation with the Clara Angela Foundation Witten, Germany, Tel.: +4917623455571, Fax: +49 2302189216M, E-mail:

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The authors stated that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this article.

Received: 2015-2-19
Accepted: 2015-7-15
Published Online: 2015-8-13
Published in Print: 2016-8-1

©2016 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

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  18. Original articles - Obstetrics
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  20. Original articles - Newborn
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https://doi.org/10.1515/jpm-2015-0074
Keywords for this article
Bonding; early cognitive development; fetal hearing; maternal stress; Mozart effect; music devices; perinatal music programs

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Editorial
  3. Prematurity
  4. Original articles - Prematurity
  5. Does progesterone administration in preterm labor influence Treg cells?
  6. Reliability of posterior-left atrium space index measurements during 20–24 weeks of gestation in structurally normal fetuses
  7. Intervention versus a conservative approach in the management of TRAP sequence: a systematic review
  8. Music-induced prolongation of heart rate corrected QT intervals from electrocardiogram recordings of healthy preterm pregnant women
  9. Music devices for the fetus? An evaluation of pregnancy music belts
  10. Communication about maternal-fetal surgery for myelomeningocele and congenital diaphragmatic hernia: preliminary findings with implications for informed consent and shared decision-making
  11. Randomized control trial comparing physiologic effects in preterm infants during treatment with nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) generated by Bubble NCPAP and Ventilator NCPAP: a pilot study
  12. Clinical characteristics and factors associated with term and late preterm infants that do not respond to inhaled nitric oxide (iNO)
  13. Adipokine, adropin and endothelin-1 levels in intrauterine growth restricted neonates and their mothers
  14. Predicting neonatal respiratory morbidity by lamellar body count and gestational age
  15. Surfactant with and without bronchoalveolar lavage in an experimental model of meconium aspiration syndrome
  16. Academy’s Paper
  17. Neonates of mothers who have had kidney or liver transplantation
  18. Original articles - Obstetrics
  19. Arterio-venous differences in cord levels of catecholamines, glucose, lactate and blood gases
  20. Original articles - Newborn
  21. Genetic low nephron number hypertension is associated with altered expression of key components of the renin-angiotensin system during nephrogenesis
  22. Omega-3 fatty acids modulate neonatal cytokine response to endotoxin
  23. Short communication
  24. Reference values for the single deepest vertical pocket to assess the amniotic fluid volume in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy
  25. Congress Calendar
  26. Congress Calendar
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