Babies can smile, cry and blink before birth

Advances in ultrasound scanning have allowed doctors to see that babies in the womb exhibit facial expressions as a reflex in preparation for birth.

It was previously thought babies learned to smile after birth by copying their mothers.

Reflex

Smiling, however, cannot be interpreted as preparation for birth but may be a reflex, Prof Campbell said.

 ”What’s behind the smile, of course, I can’t say, but the corners turn up and the cheeks bulge … I think it must be some indication of contentment in a stress-free environment.”

The 4D scanner, which produces detailed 3D images that move in real time, has shown that babies start making finger movements at 15 weeks, yawning at 18 weeks and smiling, blinking and crying at 26 weeks.

The Pro-Life Party reacted immediately to the images by claiming it strengthened their arguments against abortion.