Loud Noise Exposure During Pregnancy: Potential Risks at 10 Weeks

Question
I was just standing next to a railway line with my 2 boys, and a train went past.  For the boys sake (I presume) the driver blew the horn for quite a few seconds and it was very loud!!!!!  Its like I could feel a vibration in my abdomen - is there any chance my unborn baby could have been affected - I am 10 weeks pregnant - Thanks

Answer
I apologize for not answering this question sooner- I was out-of-town and just now got the notification!

The baby's inner ear develops around the fourth week of pregnancy. A single exposure to a loud sound is doubtful to cause damage- prolonged exposure (such as if this happened once a week or at a 2 hour rock concert) can permanently damage an unborn child's hearing. The baby most likely did not enjoy the noise but since it was a single incident, it probably did not have any sort of lasting effect.

At your next ultrasound, you can express your concerns to your doctor or midwife and he/she can ask the ultrasound tech to check for anything amiss with the ears.

Please let me know if I can help you further or with anything else.

Best wishes!
Helen =)