By Daniella Gray
Copyright newsweek
The flutter of a kick inside the womb may mean more than just a healthy, active baby—it could be laying the foundation for a deeper emotional bond between mother and child.A new study led by researchers from Yale University, Yale New Haven Hospital and Weill Cornell Medical College has found that fetal movements are strongly linked to maternal-fetal attachment (MFA), the emotional connection that begins forming long before birth.The researchers recorded fetal movements in 51 women during their third trimester using a fetal actocardiograph, a device that captures activity not always felt by the mother.The women also completed the Prenatal Attachment Inventory-Revised questionnaire, which measures the strength of prenatal bonding.The results revealed a clear trend: the more active the fetus, the stronger the emotional bond mothers reported.This relationship held true even when accounting for other influences such as the mother’s mood, gestational age, number of pregnancies or whether she knew the baby’s sex.Couple With Pregnant Woman In Bedroom At Home With Man Feeling Baby Kicking.“Although our findings align with previous research, our work goes further by using objective measurements of fetal movements rather than relying solely on maternal perception,” paper author and developmental neuroscientist Helena Rutherford said in a statement.“By using a fetal actocardiograph, we were able to capture movements not perceived by the mother, allowing for a more rigorous and unbiased examination of the link between fetal activity and prenatal attachment.”Fetal movement is one of the earliest and most tangible forms of interaction between mother and child, often reassuring women about the health of the pregnancy.But researchers suggest these movements also serve a deeper psychological role. They encourage mothers to form mental images of their babies, helping prepare for parenthood emotionally.Previous studies have shown that counting kicks enhances attachment scores, but this study is the first to confirm that objective fetal activity itself—not just the mother’s perception—predicts stronger bonding.“Considering that MFA is associated with more engaged and stimulating mother–infant interactions after birth, understanding these prenatal associations offers valuable insights into how early psychological and relational processes shape development throughout the perinatal period,” Rutherford said.The findings suggest that paying conscious attention to fetal movements could be a natural, non-invasive strategy for strengthening attachment before birth. That, in turn, may promote more attentive and sensitive caregiving after delivery.Do you have a tip on a health story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about pregnancy? Let us know via health@newsweek.com.ReferenceAyala, K., Falcioni, L., Eilbott, J., Lamore, J., Voegtline, K., & Rutherford, H. J. V. (2025). Associations between fetal movement and maternal-fetal attachment in late pregnancy. Early Human Development, 210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2025.106351
