Babies generally start hearing in the womb at around 18 weeks of pregnancy, and by about 24–25 weeks they become more sensitive and start actively responding to sounds like voices and music.

When can babies start hearing in the womb?

Most medical sources place the beginning of fetal hearing between weeks 18 and 20 of pregnancy, in the second trimester. At this stage, the tiny structures inside the ear are developed enough for the baby to detect muffled internal sounds like your heartbeat, breathing, and digestion. By around 22–25 weeks, many babies will start reacting to louder noises and to familiar voices with movements, changes in heart rate, or small startle responses. From about 25–28 weeks onward, the hearing system is considered functionally mature, and babies can recognize and remember frequently heard voices and rhythms.

Mini timeline: hearing in the womb

  • Weeks 4–5: Cells begin forming the face, brain, eyes, and early ear structures.
  • Week 9: Small indentations where the ears will develop become visible.
  • Weeks 16–18: The auditory system is largely formed; baby may start to hear internal body sounds.
  • Weeks 20–22: Sensitivity to sound increases; baby may react to sudden noises.
  • Weeks 24–25: Baby is noticeably more responsive to sounds and voices, sometimes moving or “jumping” at loud noises.
  • Weeks 27–30: Hearing is well developed; baby can respond to voices and may show preference for familiar sounds.

What can babies actually hear?

Inside the womb, sound is softened, as if you were listening underwater, because it passes through your body tissues and the amniotic fluid. Early on, babies mostly hear your internal sounds: heartbeat, blood flow, breathing, and digestive noises. As pregnancy progresses, they begin to catch low-frequency outside sounds, such as deeper voices, music bass lines, and the rhythm and melody of your speech rather than individual words. By the third trimester, they can distinguish between different voices and may calm to familiar ones they hear often.

Does talking or singing to the baby help?

Studies suggest babies can recognize and prefer their mother’s voice shortly after birth, which implies they were already learning its sound pattern in the womb. Repeated exposure to the same songs or stories before birth may lead newborns to show calmer behavior or interest when they hear those sounds again. While this is not a guaranteed “boost” to intelligence, many clinicians see gentle talking, reading, and singing as a positive way to bond and create a soothing sound environment. The key is comfort: if it relaxes you, it likely creates a calmer soundscape for the baby as well.

Safety: loud sounds and volume

Very loud, prolonged noise close to your abdomen (for example, concerts pressed against speakers or certain workplaces) may be stressful and is sometimes discouraged in later pregnancy. Occasional everyday loud sounds—like a dog bark or door slam—are usually not a problem, though they might make the baby startle or move. You do not need special gadgets or speakers on your belly; normal conversation, gentle music in the room, and daily life sounds are more than enough for fetal hearing and recognition. If you work in a very noisy environment or have specific concerns, your prenatal provider can give tailored advice based on your situation.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.