Scientists find that babies yawn in utero

November 22, 2012

Researchers at the University of Durham and Lancaster (UK) were fascinated to know if babies yawning in the womb, and, if so, why.

Some experts suggest that fetuses yawn and others said it was simply mouth opening, this study clearly shows the yawn, focusing on the duration of the opening of the mouth.

 To find out, 15 mothers gathered and took them to the 4D ultrasound healthy fetuses (eight female and seven male) aged 24 to 36 weeks of gestation to closely examine all events and found that more than half of the mouth openings were observed yawning. Yawning was reduced from 28 weeks and there were no significant differences between boys and girls in yawning frequency ‘.

‘Although the role and importance of yawning remains unknown, the findings of the study, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), suggests that yawning may be related to fetal development and could be an indication more for the doctor to know about the baby’s health. “