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

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Gélat, Pierre; Wout, Elwin van 't; Haqshenas, Reza; Melbourne, Andrew; David, Anna L.; Mufti, Nada; Henriques, Julian F.; de Maisieres, Aude Thibaut and Jauniaux, Eric. 2025. Evaluation of fetal exposure to environmental noise using a computer-generated model. Nature Communications, 16, 3916. ISSN 2041-1723 [Article]

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Official URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-58983-0

Abstract or Description

Acoustic noise can have profound effects on wellbeing, impacting the health of the pregnant mother and the development of the 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 (N=3), we used a computational model to quantify the acoustic field inside the pregnant maternal abdomen. We obtained 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 suggest that for all datasets, 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.

Item Type:

Article

Identification Number (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58983-0

Additional Information:

Funding: This work was also supported by a grant entitled “Optimizing patient-specific treatment plans for ultrasound ablative therapies in the abdomen (OptimUS)” from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) (Grant Nos. EP/P013309/1 to the University of Cambridge and EP/P012434/1 to University College London). EW is supported by FONDECYT 1230642, ANID, Chile.A.M. and A.L.D. were supported by the MRC (MR/X010007/1), the NIH (R01 HD108833), the BBSRC (BB/Y514214/1), and EPSRC (NS/A000027/1).

Data Access Statement:

The source data generated in this study are provided in the Source Data file, available at https://zenodo.org/records/15052299.

Keywords:

In-utero acoustics, Fetal ear, Fetal auditory system, Fetal sound exposure, Prenatal soundexposure, Noise pollution, Pregnancy, Hearing damage, Computational Acoustics

Departments, Centres and Research Units:

Media, Communications and Cultural Studies

Dates: