Study Finds Classical Music Helps Stabilize Fetal Heart Rate

A scientific study conducted by Mexican researchers has found that exposure to classical music can improve the stability of a fetus’s heart rate. The results suggest that expectant parents who listen to classical music may positively influence the development of their baby’s autonomic nervous system.

The study, carried out by researchers from four scientific institutions in the State of Mexico, aimed to assess how exposure to classical music affects fluctuations in fetal heart rate between 32 and 40 weeks of gestation. The experiment took place at a hospital in Toluca from April to July 2024 and involved 37 pregnant women in their third trimester.

Over three months, participants were monitored during prenatal check-ups using various sensors, including electrodes connected to a fetal electrocardiogram monitor and headphones placed on the abdomen. These headphones played two five-minute segments of classical music, one representing European classical compositions and the other featuring Mexican classical music.Music That Both Soothes and Stimulates

The selected pieces were Le Cygne (The Swan), the 13th movement from Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns, and Arpa de Oro (Golden Harp), a rhythmic guitar composition by Mexican composer Abundio Martínez. Using mathematical analysis tools, researchers examined changes in heart rate variability during and after exposure to these musical pieces.

According to Claudio Lerma, the lead author of the study, which was published in the scientific journal Chaos, “Exposure to music results in more stable and predictable fetal heart rhythms overall. We believe this temporary effect could stimulate the development of the fetal autonomic nervous system.”

In conclusion, researcher Eric Alonso Abarca-Castro noted that his team plans to expand the study to include a wider variety of musical styles beyond classical compositions.