Fetuses Can Recognize Foreign Languages While Still in the Womb (study)

Can newborn babies recognize foreign languages they were exposed to while still in the womb, distinguishing them from their native language or other unfamiliar languages? A research team in Montreal, Canada, has found that newborns respond to languages they heard as fetuses in the same way they respond to their native tongue.

The study, published in the scientific journal Nature Communications, is the first of its kind to use brain imaging techniques to provide evidence for a hypothesis that child psychologists and neuroscientists have long debated.

Background: What Previous Research Showed

Earlier studies had already shown that fetuses and newborns can recognize familiar sounds and often prefer their native language immediately after birth. However, these studies relied mainly on behavioral observations—such as a baby turning its head or changes in heart rate—rather than direct brain activity measurements during exposure to language.

Dr. Anna Gallagher, a pediatric neurologist at the University of Montreal and lead author of the study, explained to Scientific American:

“We cannot say that fetuses are learning language before birth, but newborns show familiarity with languages they were exposed to in the womb. Prenatal exposure helps form neural networks that influence how the brain responds to language after birth.”

The Study: How It Was Conducted

Approximately sixty pregnant women participated in the experiment at 35 weeks of gestation. The participants were divided into two groups:

Experimental Group: 39 women listened daily to 10-minute recordings of stories in their native language, French, followed by 10-minute recordings in German and Hebrew. These foreign languages were chosen because of their significant differences in phonetics and pronunciation compared to French.
Control Group: 21 women received no specific language exposure beyond their natural daily environment, meaning their fetuses were exposed only to French naturally.

After birth, the researchers observed the newborns’ brain activity using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), a technique that measures changes in blood oxygen levels in the brain during cognitive tasks. The observations took place during the first 10 hours to three days after birth.

Key Findings

The study revealed:

Native Language Response: All newborns showed increased activity in the left temporal lobe, the brain region responsible for language processing, when listening to French.
Foreign Language Recognition: Only babies who had been exposed to German and Hebrew in utero showed similar brain activation when hearing these languages.
Control Group: Newborns in the control group, who had no prenatal exposure to the foreign languages, showed no activation in the language-processing areas when hearing German or Hebrew.

Dr. Anna Carolina Kwan, a pediatric neurologist and member of the Brazilian Academy of Neurology, emphasized:

“This research supports the idea that newborn brains are not entirely ‘blank slates.’ The prenatal environment shapes certain cognitive functions even before birth.”

How Long Does Exposure Take?

The study did not determine the exact duration of exposure needed for a fetus to recognize a foreign language later. Previous research on auditory prenatal exposure suggests that even a few hours or sessions as short as 15 minutes might be sufficient for newborns to show familiarity with sounds heard in the womb.

However, Dr. Kwan cautioned:

“This study does not recommend that pregnant women expose their unborn babies to foreign languages in hopes of making them smarter or multilingual later in life. The real importance lies in understanding how prenatal language exposure impacts early brain development, particularly for identifying and treating language disorders.”

Implications for Language Development and Pediatric Care

Between 5% and 10% of children in the United States experience some form of language delay or disorder. Understanding how prenatal exposure to sounds and languages affects brain development could help pediatricians and therapists:

Detect early signs of language delays
Design interventions to support speech and language development
Provide insights into how environmental factors shape cognitive and linguistic skills even before birth

Dr. Gallagher noted:

“Our findings provide strong evidence that language development begins before birth, opening avenues for further research on how early auditory experiences affect cognitive outcomes in infants.”

The Science Behind Prenatal Language Recognition

The study highlights several key concepts about fetal brain development:

Neural Plasticity: The fetus’s brain forms networks in response to auditory stimuli, even before birth.
Familiarity vs. Learning: While newborns may not fully learn a language prenatally, exposure creates recognition pathways that influence early language processing.
Selective Response: The fetal brain responds selectively to sounds it has been exposed to, ignoring unfamiliar sounds initially.

These insights reinforce the growing understanding that the womb is not just a passive environment; it is a critical period for shaping sensory and cognitive abilities.

Conclusion

This groundbreaking study confirms that prenatal exposure to language shapes newborn brain responses, highlighting that infants are born with more sophisticated cognitive abilities than previously thought. While this research does not advocate using the womb as a “language classroom,” it underscores the importance of the prenatal environment in early brain development.

Future studies may explore:

How varying amounts and types of language exposure affect postnatal speech acquisition
The role of prenatal auditory experiences in preventing language delays
Long-term cognitive and linguistic outcomes of early auditory stimulation

By understanding the brain’s responsiveness to sounds before birth, researchers can develop strategies to support early childhood development and better address language-related disorders.