A Baby in the Womb Cries and Laughs at What Mom Eats... Fetuses Also Have 'Likes and Dislikes'

Upturned Mouth Corners in Carrot Capsules, Downturned Mouth Corners in Kale Capsules
"Fetal Food Preferences May Change According to Pregnant Mother's Diet"

Fetuses of pregnant women who consumed carrots showed upward-curved lips resembling a smile, while fetuses of those who consumed kale appeared to have a crying expression. Photo is a stock image.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Juri] A study has found that fetuses in the womb can taste and show different reactions depending on the foods their pregnant mothers consume.

According to recent reports from foreign media such as CNN, a joint research team from Durham University in the UK studied 100 pregnant women aged 18 to 40 between 32 and 36 weeks of pregnancy to investigate whether fetuses can distinguish tastes and smells in the womb.

The researchers had 35 pregnant women consume organic kale capsules, and another 35 consume carrot capsules. Carrots were chosen because they taste sweet even to adults, while kale was selected as it tastes more bitter to infants compared to other green vegetables like spinach, broccoli, and asparagus. The remaining 30 women were not exposed to either flavor.

About 20 minutes after the pregnant women ingested the capsules, changes began to appear in the fetuses' facial expressions. Scanned with 4D ultrasound, fetuses in the carrot group showed smiling faces, with corners of the mouth turned up.

Fetuses in the kale group made frowning faces or pursed their lips, showing expressions of distress.

Beiza Euston, senior researcher at the Durham University Fetal and Neonatal Research Institute, said, "It is truly remarkable that fetuses respond to the foods their mothers eat."

Beiza Euston explained, "A healthy diet is very important for children. Unfortunately, most children do not like bitter-tasting vegetables. This study supports the claim that adjusting the mother's diet can help children develop healthy eating habits."

However, she added that since all the women who participated in this study were British and white, further research is needed involving pregnant women from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Meanwhile, the research team announced that they have begun follow-up studies to determine whether the tastes experienced in the womb influence children's acceptance of different foods during early childhood after birth.