My husband laughed at me when I got dressed up for my scan visits when I was pregnant.
“If I can see her, maybe she can see me” I would figure. Pregnancy brain at its finest.
It was life-changing to see that first glimpse of life – our child. It is emotional but we were also very aware that our sneak preview of our little cutie was more about checking on her health than seeing who’s nose she had. (mine, thank you very much)
Now a new study has found that doctors can spot more than just the usual growth factors and measurements. They realised you may now be able to tell as early as this if your baby is going to be left handed or right handed. I know, amazing.
I know, amazing.
Science Daily reports that the research, published in the elife journal, has now turned the theory that a child develops right or left handedness as a youngster on its head. Instead, it happens much, much earlier.
While it was once thought that hand preference comes from the brain, it’s now been discovered that it may form due to gene development when the spine is forming.
The researchers from the Netherlands and South Africa examined gene expression in the spinal cord when the baby was between 8-12 week old in the womb. They saw clear right-left differences in parts of the spinal cord that control the movements of arms and legs.
Applying that theory they could pinpoint if the baby had a preference to suck either their right of left thumb as early as 13 weeks in the womb.
Before you even know if it’s a boy or a girl you may know if you have a little righty or a lefty.
You gotta love science.
