Playing classical music to unborn babies can stimulate development, study suggests

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Published  February 5, 2025 9:06pm EST
FOX TV Digital Team
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The Brief

    • A study in Mexico found that classical music influences fetal heart rate, potentially benefiting development.
    • Researchers observed more stable and predictable heart rate patterns in unborn babies exposed to music.
    • The study suggests that expectant parents might enhance fetal development by playing soothing classical music.

LOS ANGELES - It's no secret, music is a way for expectant parents to bond with their unborn children. 

However, new research provides scientific evidence that classical music may have direct physiological effects on a developing baby. 

Researchers in Mexico found that playing classical compositions to fetuses resulted in more stable heart rate patterns, which could indicate a positive impact on their autonomic nervous system.

How does classical music affect unborn babies?

The backstory:

A team from the National Institute of Cardiology in Mexico studied how classical music influences fetal heart rate. 

Using heart monitors, they measured responses to two pieces of music—"The Swan" by Camille "Saint-Saëns and Arpa de Oro" by Abundio Martínez. They found that fetal heart rates became more predictable and stable when music played, suggesting that exposure could stimulate development.

Gustavo Dudamel leading the Los Angeles Philharmonic.  (Photo by Hiroyuki Ito/Getty Images)

Which type of music had the strongest impact?

  • 36 pregnant women participated in the study.
  • Two classical pieces were played to measure fetal heart rate responses.
  • The Mexican guitar melody "Arpa de Oro" had a stronger effect than "The Swan," possibly due to cultural familiarity or rhythmic structure.

What's next:

The research team plans to expand their study to include different genres of music, beyond classical compositions, to determine if factors like rhythm or cultural familiarity influence fetal development.

The Source: This article is based on research published in Chaos: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Nonlinear Science and statements from the study’s authors.

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