Artificial Intelligence for Facial Analysis: Exploring Fetal Neuromuscular Development by Correlating Facial Muscle Activity and Emotion Variability with Kurjak Antenatal Neurodevelopmental Test Scores from 28 to 36 Weeks of Pregnancy

IntroductIonFetal neurodevelopment during the third trimester (28-36 weeks of gestation) is characterized by significant maturation of the central nervous system, leading to the emergence of complex motor behaviors, including facial movements such as blinking, mouth movements, and grimacing. [1]2][3][4][5][6] These facial expressions are not merely random actions but serve as crucial indicators of the developing neuromuscular control and brain function of the fetus.Recent studies utilizing four-dimensional (4D) ultrasound have demonstrated that facial movements reflect ongoing brain maturation, making them promising biomarkers for assessing fetal well-being and predicting longterm neurological outcomes.