Newborn Cry Research Articles

Effects of Marijuana Use during Pregnancy on Newborn Cry

Effects of Marijuana Use during Pregnancy on Newborn Cry

Newborn Pain Cries and Vagal Tone: Parallel Changes in Response to Circumcision

Newborn Pain Cries and Vagal Tone: Parallel Changes in Response to Circumcision

EFFECTS OF MARIJUANA SMOKING DURING PREGNANCY ON NEWBORN CRY ANALYSIS

It has been suggested that marijuana smoking during pregnancy may have adverse effects on the neonate. In the present study, acoustic analysis of the newborn cry, a measure which has been related to a number of clinical conditions including developmental outcome, was studied in newborns of smokers and non-smokers. The study was conducted in Jamaica and included 20 infants of mothers who smoked throughout pregnancy and 20 infants of mothers who did not smoke during pregnancy. Verification of smokers and non-smokers was based on interviews with the mothers, their neighbors and direct observation. The cry was tape recorded during a newborn exam and analyzed by high speed computer as in previous studies. The cries of infants of smokers were shorter in duration (p<.02) and showed a higher percentage of dysphonation (p<.0001), a higher average fundamental frequency (p<>.03), a wider range in the fundamental frequency (p<.0001), and a lower average first formant (p<.0003) than the cries of infants of non-smokers. The results suggest possible teratologic effects of marijuana smoking during pregnancy on neonatal outcome that may have implications for later developmental outcome.

Acoustical analyses of neonates' vocalizations

Crying and other vocalizations of normal children under the age of 3 days were recorded and analyzed. The purpose was to establish a norm, in acoustical terms, to which one could compare the cry of any given newborn of the same age. One hopes that such a template may assist in the identification of such neonates who have airway obstructions and/or inadequate neuromotor control of respiration. The data reveal two things. One is that the type of vocalization (cry or non-cry) is not relevant to the analysis. The other finding is that spontaneous vocalization (as distinguished from elicited vocalization) is satisfactory for the purpose.

ACOUSTIC CRY FEATURES AND LATER OUTCOME IN TERM AND PRETERM INFANTS

The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between acoustic measures of the infant cry and later mental performance in term and preterm infants. Crying was recorded at term in 20 term and 20 preterm infants. Acoustic cry features were extracted through computer analysis using the Fast Fourier Transform. Categories of cry features were derived that measure respiratory influences (duration and amplitude), neural control of the intrinsic muscles of the larynx (fundamental frequency (Fo) and variability in Fo) and the configuration of the vocal tract (first and second formant frequencies or F1 and F2). The infants were tested on the Bayley scales at 18 months of age. Relationships between the acoustic cry features and the 18-month Bayley mental developmental index (MDI) were computed using correlation and partial correlation. The results showed significant and independent relationships between the duration (p<.05), Fo (p<.01) and variability in Fo (p<.05) of the cry and MDI scores in term and preterm infants. Lower mental performance was predicted by cries with shorter duration, higher Fo and more variability in Fo. The results show that acoustic features of the newborn cry relate to later development. Acoustic cry analysis may provide a non-invasive assessment of the nervous system that can be used in the early detection of which at-risk infants are headed for later handicap.

Effect of antenatal hypoxia on the newborn rat cry

Effect of antenatal hypoxia on the newborn rat cry

Acoustic Features and Auditory Perceptions of the Cries of Newborns with Prenatal and Perinatal Complications

This article describes 2 experiments which examine the relation between neonatal cry features and obstetric histories. Experiment 1 shows that 24 clinically healthy, normal newborns who may be at risk due to a high number of prenatal and perinatal complications can be distinguished from 24 low-complications infants by harmonic and durational features of the cry. High-complications infants required more stimulation to elicit the cry, had a longer latency to cry onset, a shorter first cry expiration, a higher cry pitch, and cried less in total time than low-complications infants. In experiment 2, naive adults rated the high-complications infant cries as more aversive, grating sick, urgent, distressing, piercing, discomforting, and arousing than low-complications infant crues. Factor analyses showed that although the low-complications infant cries were described along one dimension of discomfort, a second factor emerged conveying the "sick" nature of the sound of the cry of the high-complications infants. It was suggested that certain cry features may reflect the risk status of the infant.

Acoustic Features and Auditory Perceptions of the Cries of Newborns with Prenatal and Perinatal Complications

This article describes 2 experiments which examine the relation between neonatal cry features and obstetric histories. Experiment 1 shows that 24 clinically healthy, normal newborns who may be at risk due to a high number of prenatal and perinatal complications can be distinguished from 24 low-complications infants by harmonic and durational features of the cry. High-complications infants required more stimulation to elicit the cry, had a longer latency to cry onset, a shorter first cry expiration, a higher cry pitch, and cried less in total time than low-complications infants. In experiment 2, naive adults rated the high-complications infant cries as more aversive, grating sick, urgent, distressing, piercing, discomforting, and arousing than low-complications infant crues. Factor analyses showed that although the low-complications infant cries were described along one dimension of discomfort, a second factor emerged conveying the "sick" nature of the sound of the cry of the high-complications infants. It was suggested that certain cry features may reflect the risk status of the infant.