The Impact of Maternal Communication on Unborn Babies' Language Development

A new study has found that unborn babies start learning the language spoken by their mothers before birth. Researchers discovered heightened brain activity in newborns when they heard the language they were exposed to most often in utero. The study suggests that language experience shapes the functional organization of the infant brain even before birth. Expectant mothers are encouraged to talk as much as possible to their baby bump, as it can give their baby a headstart in language learning. However, prenatal language experience does not determine developmental outcomes, and babies without much exposure to language in the womb may not be set back developmentally.