What Are In Utero Hiccups?
The exact cause of in utero hiccups is not known but experts agree it is a fetal reflex similar to our own.
It is believed that fetal hiccupping may be a result of your baby drinking or breathing. This causes the amniotic fluid that surrounds baby to flow in and out of his lungs, and baby's immature diaphragm to contract.1 Hiccups may help to strengthen the diaphragm muscle in order to help your baby breathe both in the womb and after birth. In any case, it is an exciting development because – although not all babies hiccup – it's generally only felt late in the pregnancy, meaning you are even closer to meeting your baby in person.