[Source:  The Verge]

You’re no doubt familiar with the image of a baby sucking his thumb, but unborn babies in the later stages of development do it too. In fact, new research reveals that fetuses actually open their mouths in anticipation of a good thumb suck, which may point to better ways of tracking fetal development and understanding the limitations of babies born prematurely.

In a finding out of the University of Durham, researchers used 4D ultrasound scans to track the movements of 15 fetuses during development in the third trimester. These 4D scans offer three-dimensional footage with the added benefit of realtime movement — basically allowing researchers to closely track the various maneuvers of a wee fetus.

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