Is Four-Dimensional (4D) Ultrasound Entering a New Field of Fetal Psychiatry?

The aim of is to explore whether by observing the fetus by 4D US it is possible to enter fetal behavior, emotions, mental status, consciousness, awareness and other states connected with fetal mind and ability of self-regulation. It is well known that fetal motoric activity is enabling the development of central and peripheral nervous system and the muscles. It is 4D US which enabled to investigate fetal movement patterns from the first trimester of pregnancy throughout the whole pregnancy. Based on the evaluation of fetal spontaneous motor activity by 4D US, a prenatal neurologic scoring test named Kurjak Antenatal Neurodevelopmental Test (KANET) was created. This test has been used to assess almost 2000 fetuses and our results have indicated that KANET has an ability to recognize normal, borderline, and abnormal behavior in fetuses from normal and abnormal pregnancies. The fetus is able to process tactile, vestibular, taste, olfactory, auditory and visual sensations. The fetus responds to painful stimuli with a wide spectrum of reactions. Important external signs of emotion are facial expressions. The existence of a wide range of facial expressions, including grimacing, smiling, crying, similar to emotional expressions in adults, has been revealed by 4D sonography in the 2 and 3 trimesters of pregnancy. It is questionable if mental, emotional and behavioral conditions of the fetus were covered in this paper and whether we are able to perceive the fetus as the patient who may develop communication or some other psychiatric disorders which we will be hopefully able to recognize prenatally. Although it seems as the speculation from the point of view of our recent diagnostic possibilities, it is apparent that the day when this will be a reality is rapidly approaching.