Why Is It Important to Understand Fetal Neuromotor Development?
Author: Kristina Rautek Potocnik, BA (Hons) Ed. Rehab., HDip Early Childhood Studies, MA Early Intervention & Inclusion, Cert. Play Therapy | SI | ASD | Reflexes | ABA, ongoing MSc SLT
Fetal neuromotor development begins long before a baby is born. During pregnancy, the brain and nervous system go through many complex changes. As the brain develops, the fetus begins to move. These early movements are not random—they reflect how the central nervous system is growing and maturing.
Understanding fetal behaviour helps us in many ways. If a fetus moves less than expected or shows unusual movement patterns during a certain time in pregnancy, it could be a sign of problems in the brain or other organs. That’s why watching and understanding fetal movements is a useful tool in early detection. It gives doctors a chance to act early, even before the baby is born.
The first spontaneous movements happen in the first trimester. As the brain develops more complex structures and connections, fetal movements become more varied and organised. The number and quality of these movements give us clues about brain development. Scientists have found that fetal behaviour can predict a baby’s future growth and development.
However, this does not mean that every unusual movement means the baby will have problems. But early monitoring of the fetal nervous system gives us a chance to support the baby’s development from the very beginning. After birth, professionals can continue to observe spontaneous movements and motor development through the first 18 months of life. Thanks to brain plasticity and the right support, positive changes are possible, even if early signs looked concerning.
To make all this useful in real-life practice, professionals working with young children need to be trained to understand and apply this knowledge. They need to learn how fetal behaviour connects with later development. More research is still needed, and support for scientists in this area is essential.
By learning and working together, even with small steps, we can bring new discoveries into everyday practice and give children the best start in life.
References:
Torabi, F., Akbari, S. A., Amiri, S., Soleimani, F. and Majd, H. A. (2012) ‘Correlation between high-risk pregnancy and developmental delay in children aged 4–60 months’, The Libyan Journal of Medicine.
Vasilj, O. (2014) Assessment of fetal behaviour using four-dimensional ultrasound in pregnancies with gestational diabetes. PhD thesis. University of Zagreb, Faculty of Medicine.
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