Pregnancy Podcast Q&A: Noise Exposure in Pregnancy and Concert Safety
Aug 27, 2025
Curious about concert safety during pregnancy? This discussion dives into how babies hear in the womb and what research reveals about acceptable noise levels. It debunks myths surrounding loud music, reassures expectant mothers, and offers practical advice to minimize risks while enjoying memorable events. Plus, hear about guidelines from health organizations to keep both mom and baby safe. It's all about balancing fun with safety!
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
How Babies Hear In Utero
- A fetus hears increasingly well as pregnancy progresses, with hearing present by ~18 weeks and sharper by term.
- Sounds are muffled by fluid so in-utero hearing is less clear than air hearing.
Sheep Study Shows Sound Is Muffled
- Researchers recorded fetal sound in sheep and found uterine recordings were intelligible but inner-ear recordings were much muffled.
- This demonstrates substantial filtering of sound before it reaches the fetal inner ear.
Risk Tied To Chronic, Not Occasional, Exposure
- Most research links harm to chronic workplace exposures, not occasional events like a single concert.
- A study at 80–85 dB for 8 hours found no significant difference in newborn hearing screening results.