RESPONSIVENESS TO THE ODOR OF AMNIOTIC-FLUID IN THE HUMAN NEONATE

Two-day-old newborns were videotaped during a double-choice test contr asting the odours of their amniotic fluid (AF) and of a control stimul us. To control for early motor asymmetries, the lateral position of bo th stimuli was balanced both between and within subjects. On average, neonates oriented their nose for a significantly longer duration towar d the odour of AF. Regardless of the nature of the stimulus, neonates also evinced a marked head-turning bias to the right side. The nature of the odour stimulus and side of presentation interacted so that infa nts turned their nose longer to the AF odour when it was presented fro m the right side. These data indicate that newborns can detect the AF odour, and that they remain attracted towards it for at least 2 days a fter birth.