Letter to the Editor: Does fetal movement shape the maternal brain?

Kathy Ayala; Kristin Voegtline; Helena Jv Rutherford

doi:10.1002/dev.22467

Letter to the Editor: Does fetal movement shape the maternal brain?

Dev Psychobiol. 2024 Feb;66(2):e22467. doi: 10.1002/dev.22467.

Authors

Kathy Ayala^{1

2}, Kristin Voegtline^{3

4}, Helena Jv Rutherford¹

Affiliations

¹ Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
² Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
³ Department of Population, Family and ReproductiveHealth, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Family and Reproductive Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
⁴ Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

PMID: 38339781
DOI: 10.1002/dev.22467

Abstract

Here, we debate that fetal behavior may contribute to the dynamic changes observed in the maternal brain during the perinatal period. We call for future research to explore this perspective to understand the complex maternal-fetal relationship and how fetal signals influence the preparation for parenthood.

Publication types

Letter

MeSH terms

Brain*
Female
Fetal Movement*
Fetus
Humans
Pregnancy