A common piece of advice among pregnant women is to eat a piece of chocolate or any sugary food before an ultrasound examination, especially a detailed or 4D scan, with the aim of stimulating the fetus to move. 

The Scientific Basis for Chocolate’s Effect, especially dark chocolate , contains two main components with a stimulating effect:


1. Sugars (Glucose): Consuming sugars leads to a rise in the mother’s blood glucose level. Glucose rapidly crosses the placenta, providing a burst of energy to the fetus. This increase in energy can lead to an increase in fetal activity and movement.

2. Caffeine and Theobromine: Chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine (a stimulant similar to caffeine). These substances cross the placenta and reach the fetus. Studies indicate that caffeine can increase the fetal heart rate and breathing patterns, affecting its behavior and movement.

Scientific Evidence and Research suggests that chocolate consumption does have an actual effect on fetal activity, but it is not necessarily the desired effect in all situations:

• Stimulating Effect: Studies, such as the one by (Tranquilli et al., 2014), have shown that maternal ingestion of dark chocolate stimulates “Fetal Reactivity,” especially in female fetuses. Another study (Buscicchio et al., 2013) found that dark chocolate with a high cocoa concentration (80%) has a noticeable stimulating effect on fetal movement.

• Medical Use: In some medical contexts, consuming sugar or chocolate may be used as part of a “Non-Stress Test” (NST) procedure to assess fetal health, where increased movement in response to the stimulus is considered a positive indicator.

Is it a “Myth” or a “Fact”?

It can be said that the practice is not a “myth” in the absolute sense, but rather a scientific fact with results that are not always desirable in the context of a detailed examination:



So in Conclusion: Chocolate does indeed increase fetal movement, which is the “fact” part of the practice. However, the goal of a detailed scan is to take precise measurements and examine organs in detail, which often requires the fetus to be in a state of relative calm or moderate movement. 

Therefore, the excessive movement resulting from chocolate consumption may hinder the examination rather than facilitate it.

Based on the evidence, the most common medical advice, as stated in the guidelines of specialized Fetal Medicine clinics (such as Maternal Fetal Medicine), is:

“Please do not drink tea or coffee or eat chocolate beforehand to make the baby move during the ultrasound examination – this can result in the baby moving so much that the examination is actually more difficult.”

Therefore, the mother should consult her doctor or the clinic where the scan will be performed for specific instructions. If the goal is a detailed scan requiring precise measurements, it is best to avoid stimulants. If the goal is to confirm “fetal reactivity” in a specific medical context, the doctor may recommend a mild stimulant.

For any inquiry related to your morphology scan preparation and appointment, you can contact us on our clinic number 0096171614912.