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13th July 2018
04:51pm BST

A paper published in the journal, Development, details that a foetus moving causes “molecular interactions” that help turn the cells and tissues of an embryo into functional bones and joints.
The study was conducted using chicken and mice embryos and found that movement leads to the formation of bone or cartilage.
The study also revealed that if babies don't move enough in the womb, they are at risk of developing abnormal joints or brittle bones.
Trinity College professor of zoology Paula Murphy said:
“Our new findings show that in the absence of embryonic movement the cells that should form articular cartilage receive incorrect molecular signals, where one type of signal is lost while another inappropriate signal is activated in its place. “In short, the cells receive the signal that says 'make bone' when they should receive the signal that says 'make cartilage'.”Usually, pregnant women will start to feel their baby move from anywhere between 16 to 24 weeks. If you are worried that your baby may not be moving as much as they should, you should contact your doctor.