A groundbreaking study from the University of Parma has revealed that fetuses may exhibit contagious yawning, potentially beginning as early as the second trimester of pregnancy. Published in Current Biology, the research involved mothers watching videos featuring yawning, mouth movements, and neutral expressions, with a camera capturing their reactions and a 2D ultrasound monitoring the fetuses. Approximately 64% of mothers yawned while viewing the yawning videos, while 53% of fetuses responded with yawns, typically about one and a half minutes after their mothers. This correlation suggests a significant connection between maternal and fetal yawning patterns, with mothers who yawned more frequently having fetuses that also yawned more. The authors of the study hypothesize that this could be due to a form of intrauterine physiological contagion, indicating that yawning may be an innate behavior that develops early in gestation. The findings add a new dimension to our understanding of yawning and its social implications, suggesting that even before birth, fetuses are attuned to their mothers' behaviors.