New research has revealed that classical music can help calm fetal heart rates, potentially offering developmental benefits to babies in the womb.
A group of researchers from the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico, the Metropolitan Autonomous University, the General Hospital Nicolás San Juan, and the National Institute of Cardiology Ignacio Chávez worked together to study the effects of classical music on fetal heartbeats.
Using mathematical analysis tools to identify patterns in heart rate variability, the group worked with 36 pregnant women and played a pair of classical pieces for their fetuses. The team discussed many song choices, ultimately choosing “The Swan” by French composer Camille Saint-Saëns and “Arpa de Oro” by Mexican composer Abundio Martínez.
Using external heart rate monitors, researchers tracked how fetal heart rates responded to both songs. With advanced analysis techniques, they also detected subtle changes in heart rate variability during and after the music played.
“Overall, we discovered that exposure to music resulted in more stable and predictable fetal heart rate patterns,” said Claudia Lerma from the National Institute of Cardiology Ignacio Chávez in Mexico. “We speculate that this momentary effect could stimulate the development of the fetal autonomic nervous system.”
“Very few studies have used detailed techniques like Recurrence Quantification Analysis (RQA) to analyze how the fetal heart reacts to musical stimuli. Moreover, it was innovative to compare two different classical compositions—one European and one Mexican—and observe clear differences in their effects on fetal heart dynamics,” the researcher said in a group statement provided to The Debrief in an email.
The researchers then examined the differences between the two classical pieces. Both pieces had an effective outcome, but the team found that the Mexican guitar melody had a stronger effect when played for the infant.
“When contrasting ‘The Swan’ with ‘Arpa de Oro,’ we did notice some significant differences,” said author Eric Alonso Abarca-Castro. “In particular, the second piece appeared to have a stronger impact on some measures, indicating that it produced heart rate patterns that were more predictable and regular.
“Factors like rhythmic characteristics, melodic structure, or cultural familiarity may be linked to this differentiation,” he added.
Overall, the research points to the ways classical music can help promote healthy fetal development.
“Our results suggest that these changes in fetal heart rate dynamics occur instantly in short-term fluctuations, so parents might want to consider exposing their fetuses to quiet music,” said Abarca-Castro. “Parents who play soothing music may stimulate and benefit the fetal autonomic system.”
“We speculate that prenatal auditory stimulation—such as exposure to calm, classical music—may contribute to the maturation of the baby’s nervous system,” Abarca-Castro added. “Although our findings are preliminary, this type of stimulation might enhance the organization of the fetal heartbeat and promote overall neurodevelopment, which could have beneficial effects on stress regulation and cardiovascular health after birth.”
In the past, the positive neurological outcomes of using binaural beats have also been studied and seen positive outcomes with relation to health and wellness.
“It is possible that other musical pieces with similar characteristics—calm, with moderate tempo—could produce comparable effects, but further research is needed to investigate different genres and styles to confirm this,” the group statement read.
“To ascertain whether rhythmic or cultural variations elicit distinct fetal cardiac responses, we intend to increase the size of our sample and expand our investigation to include a variety of musical styles beyond classical pieces,” said author José Javier Reyes-Lagos.
This paper was originally published in the journal Chaos.
Chrissy Newton is a PR professional and founder of VOCAB Communications. She hosts the Rebelliously Curious podcast, which can be found on The Debrief’s YouTube Channel. Follow her on X: @ChrissyNewton and at chrissynewton.com.