Which statement best describes the timing of fetal response to sound during gestation?

• A. Fetal response to sound is not observed until after 30 weeks.
• B. The fetus can respond to sound by 24 weeks gestation.
• C. The fetus responds to sound only after birth.
• D. There is no fetal response to sound before birth.

Answer: (B)

Auditory development allows the fetus to detect sound before birth, and by mid-gestation the system is mature enough to produce observable responses. By around 24 weeks, fetuses show measurable reactions to auditory stimuli—changes in heart rate and movement when exposed to sounds such as the mother’s voice or ambient noise—indicating functional hearing. This response occurs well before birth, so the idea that there is no fetal reaction prior to birth is not accurate, and waiting until after 30 weeks would miss the established timing. In short, the best description is that the fetus can respond to sound by about 24 weeks gestation.