Final answer:
The answer is true; music therapy is often included in NICU care due to positive research outcomes. Babies in the womb begin to develop hearing at about 16 to 18 weeks of gestation, with further development and responsiveness to sound around 24 to 27 weeks.
Step-by-step explanation:
Regarding the statement 'Due to the positive research supporting the use of music therapy in NICU, music therapy is often included in NICU care', the answer is true. Current research indicates that music therapy can have positive effects on premature infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). It can help in stabilizing vital signs, improving feeding behaviors and sucking patterns, and decreasing stress responses, which can lead to improved medical outcomes.
As for when a baby's hearing develops, you can let Anna know that a baby's hearing starts to develop at about 16 to 18 weeks into pregnancy. Babies are increasingly responsive to sound as the pregnancy progresses, with more developed hearing observed around 24 to 27 weeks' gestation. Therefore, playing music for her unborn baby can be part of prenatal bonding and stimulation as the pregnancy advances beyond the early stages of the second trimester.