February 20, 1998
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Adrienne Outlaw
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Smell of amniotic fluid can comfort newborn infants, Vanderbilt researcher finds
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Mothers may be able to make their newborns' transition into the world more comfortable through smell, according to the Vanderbilt University researcher whose previous studies found that babies locate their mother's nipple by its scent.
Richard Porter has found that infant distress can be lessened when newborns are exposed to the odor of their own amniotic fluid during the separation period following birth.
Porter and his European colleagues tested 47 newborns' reactions to amniotic fluid and breast odor immediately after birth by measuring the length of each infant's cries. The babies, each wrapped in cotton clothes and blankets, were placed on examination tables under radiant heaters while their cries were recorded for one hour 30 minutes after birth.
To test for the influence of amniotic fluid smell, a sterile cotton cloth was moistened with the newborn's own fluid, attached to a plastic funnel and placed about two centimeters from the infant's nose. To test for breast odor, a cotton cloth that had been taped over one side of the mother's chest two hours before delivery was placed two centimeters from the child's face. The control group was not exposed to odors not normally found in an examination room.
During the hour in which their cries were recorded, 16 babies exposed to the smell of their own amniotic fluid cried on average 29 seconds. 15 newborns exposed to the smell of their mothers' breasts cried for 301 seconds and the babies in the control group cried for 135 seconds.
"The study results add to the growing evidence that naturally occurring odors have an important influence on newborn's early behavior and suggest that the sense of smell may play a significant role in early mother-infant communication," said Porter. "For instance, the increased crying triggered by breast odor probably signifies that the babies were upset because they couldn't find the source of food associated with the smell."
One of the ways mothers can influence their intrauterine environment is through their diet. Because the mother's diet may affect both the odor and flavor of her milk as well as the amniotic fluid, odors that were present tin the prenatal environment may be experienced after birth. These familiar odors could help the infant's transition to the external world.
While previous studies have reported that newborns cry less when they have bodily contact with their mothers, those studies did not determine if the crying was lessened due to the mother's voice, touch or smell or a combination of the senses. Porter has found that the amniotic fluid odor lowers the amount of crying time at a similar rate as the physical contact between the infant and mother, thus if the mother cannot be present following birth, perhaps the scent of the fluid may provide comfort.
A Professor in the Department of Psychology and Human Development at Vanderbilt, Richard Porter collaborated with colleagues Heili Varendi of Tartu University in Estonia and Jan Winberg and Kyllike Christensson of Karoilinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. The results of their study are scheduled to be reported in the April, volume 51, issue 1 of Early Human Development, published by Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.
Vanderbilt University is a private research university of approximately 5,900 undergraduates and 4,300 graduate and professional students. Founded in 1873, the University comprises 10 schools, a public policy institute, a distinguished medical center and The Freedom Forum First Amendment Center. Vanderbilt offers undergraduate programs in the liberal arts and sciences, education and human development, engineering and music and a full range of graduate and professional degrees.
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