Playing music to unborn babies is a practice that spans cultures and generations. New research suggests that classical music can have a calming influence on fetal heart rates. This could offer developmental benefits to the unborn child.

Researchers selected “The Swan” by French composer Camille Saint-Saëns, and “Arpa de Oro” by Mexican composer Abundio Martínez for the study.

In a nutshell Research examining 37 third-trimester pregnancies found that classical music creates more stable and predictable fetal heart patterns, suggesting potential benefits for early nervous system development.