Babies in the womb also wrinkle their noses when mom puts something they don’t like.
For the first time, scientists were able to observe how fetuses react to different types of food: in this case, they tested different vegetables.
Previous studies have also suggested that food preferences may arise before birth, but this will be the first time ever that you will be able to see for yourself how the baby reacts in the womb.
And one specific food caused the baby to make “sour” faces more often – can you guess which one?
Carrot or cabbage?
To find out if fetuses distinguish between different tastes, the researchers studied ultrasound images of about 70 pregnant women. The study was conducted in England.
The mothers were divided into two groups.
One group was asked to take a powdered cabbage capsule, while the other group received a powdered carrot capsule.
These were taken about 20 minutes before the ultrasound. The other vegetable intake among mothers was similar before the experiment.
The researchers also looked at images of a group of mothers who were not part of the actual study.
Thus began the search for different facial expressions among the children.
A surprising result
In total, the researchers looked at 180 images of 99 fetuses. They were then 32 or 36 weeks old.
The results showed that the unborn child showed signs of regret twice as often when the cabbage was eaten, compared to the carrot or without any capsule.
When the mother ate a carrot, however, the fetuses were seen to have more often a laughter-like expression.
Dr. Benoist Schaal is a researcher on the project and of The Guardian, he says that the clarity of the results is amazing.
– The mother has not yet had time to finish the meal before the fetus is already aware or able to perceive what it is eating.
An example showing the facial expression of a fetus when the mother ate cabbage.
Photo: Jackie Blissett / Twitter
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It could have an effect later in life
Humans experience taste through a combination of taste and smell. In fetuses, it is assumed that this can happen by inhaling and ingesting amniotic fluid in the uterus.
Researchers believe these findings may provide a better understanding of how we humans develop both the sense of taste and smell, as well as
Perception is sensory impressions or perceptions and the subsequent interpretation of these. Perception involves two phases: that one or more sensory organs are stimulated and that this stimulation is interpreted and translated into an experience.
“data-term =” perception “> perception and memory.
Aston University Professor Jackie Blissett believes that exposing babies in the womb to different flavors can have a positive effect.
– Exposing the fetus to flavors they “don’t prefer” in the womb, such as cabbage, can mean getting used to it.
– Now the next step is to see if they show less negative responses to these flavors over time. And if there is a greater acceptance of these after the birth of the children, says Blissett.
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