Until very recently, obtaining images of a baby’s brain activity in the womb was very complicated, today, and thanks to a more advanced technique, we have high quality images that allow us to better understand certain aspects of our development that we have not known until now.
Fetal brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a complementary diagnostic method to the ultrasound to which many mothers undergo a specific reason: obtain a morphological and biometric study of the baby’s brain to detect possible abnormalities.
- These tests are usually done from the twentieth week of gestation.
- Just as the insensitive body of the brain is already formed and diagnoses become safer.
- Remember that the fetus is suspended in an amniotic universe.
- In this liquid world where MRI resolution is poor.
- Quality.
- Where every movement stops getting clear data.
Such perinatal tests usually have a 50% success rate when it comes to identifying problems. Now all that has completely changed. For now, we have taken a giant step and already have much more accurate algorithms capable of performing almost perfect readings on a baby’s brain activity.
What was discovered in these early diagnostic tests marked a revolution in the field of perinatal medicine, we explained it below.
In the image above we can see the MRI of a 20-week-old fetus and a 40-week fetus, these images are provided by Wayne State University School of Medicine (Michigan, USA). U. S. ) They clearly illustrate the brain activity of these two babies in their mother’s uterus.
One of the main objectives of scientists with this type of evidence was to study how babies’ neurons are connected during the last weeks of pregnancy, and the data obtained revealed previously unknown aspects of premature babies.
The data from this first study were published in the journal Scientific Reports, and to perform this analysis with the new MRIs, 36 pregnant women were monitored between week 20 and 36, half of whom had a high-risk pregnancy and gave birth. Prematurely.
However, this new evidence clearly shows that low neuro connectivity is already demonstrated within the maternal uterus, and that this lack of connection between neurons is very evident in the Broca region, that is, in the area related to language processing.
As noted above, fetal MRI is designed to detect any perinatal abnormalities, today we cannot ignore that preterm births are becoming more common, a reality that forces doctors, scientists and families themselves to implement new strategies, energies and resources.
In conclusion, these early images of the brain activity of human fetuses mean that we have at our disposal an exceptional door to get through and understand our own development a little better, however, this will mainly be an accurate diagnostic tool with which it will be possible. to provide more complete care to the premature child, to this life that comes before the time that science, doctors and family so desperately need.
I hope that’s the case.