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ABSTRACT: This paper explores the effectiveness of the Firstart prenatal stimulation method applied to a sample of maternity patients at University Hospital "La Fe" in Valencia, with 71 women in the control group and 101 in the experimental group. Both groups were enrolled in the birth preparation course offered at the hospital. In addition, future mothers in the experimental group wore a waistband equipped with small speakers connected to a tape recorder which played a series of eight tapes of violin sounds. Mothers exposed the unborn babies to an average of 70 hours of music from about 28 weeks to the end of pregnancy. After birth the Observational Scale of Development" originated by F. Secadas was used by mothers to chart the onset of behaviors from 0 to 6 months. On 22 items of the scale, behaviors of the experimental group babies were significantly advanced from those of the control group. Findings reveal the superiority of prenatally stimulated children in gross and fine motor activities, in linguistic development, in some aspects of somato-sensory coordination, and in certain cognitive behaviors.
INTRODUCTION
Prenatal stimulation has recently become an expanding field of scientific study based on radical changes in our understanding of fetal behavior and perception. Technological advances in intra-uterine photography and ultrasonography used in an experimental context have confirmed the true capacities of the fetus.
This developing being, until recently considered an amorphous entity without the slightest possibility of hearing or seeing, without tactile or gustatory sensations, and devoid of all emotion, is seen today as an individual in possession of all these basic tools necessary for learning.
Inspired by a conference on Prenatal Learning and Bonding held in El Puig (Valencia) in 1992, we believed it was necessary to develop reliable methods of testing the effectiveness of prenatal stimulation. We decided to begin a longitudinal study of mothers and babies using the Firstart program, which originated in Valencia. Equipment and instructions were supplied by Firstart.
THE FIRSTART METHOD
The purpose of the Firstart program of prenatal stimulation is to advance the intellectual and physical development of the fetus by means of musical stimuli presented to the baby for a few minutes per day from about the twenty-eighth week of gestation to the end of...