Background:Anogenital distance (AGD) is a feasible and accepted parameter of exogenous or endogenous androgens effects on development of reproductive system.Objectives:Since there is no report on penile length (PL) and AGD in our region, we investigated these parameters in male newborns in Golestan Province, Iran.Patients and Methods:In this cross-sectional study, we measured stretched PL and AGD in term newborns from different races in Dezyani Gynecologic Hospital of Gorgan, Iran. We also recorded the anthropometric parameters and maternal age. The data was analyzed using the SPSS 14.Results:Means of PL and AGD of 427 healthy term newborns were 32.1 ± 3.5 and 24.5 ± 2.5 mm, respectively. There was a positive correlation between PL and AGD (r = 0.097, P = 0.046). According to their ethnicity, there were 166 Fars (38.9%), 129 Turkmen (30.2%), and 132 Sistani (30.9%) infants with mean PL of respectively 31.8 ± 3.9, 32.3 ± 3.3, and 32.4 ± 3.3 mm and mean AGD of respectively 25 ± 2.5, 24.3 ± 2.5, and 24 ± 2.5 mm. One Fars neonate (0.23%) had micropenis (PL = 21.3 mm).Conclusions:Using -2.5 standard deviations as the cutoff for micropenis, a newborn infant in Golestan Province with a PL of < 23.3 mm had micropenis; however, more investigations are needed to clarify this issue.

Background:Hearing impairment, as one of the most common birth defects, is a hidden disability with negative impacts on speech and cognitive development.Objectives:The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and determine the associated risk factors among infants admitted to neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and neonatal wards of teaching hospitals, affiliated to Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran.Patients and Methods:In this cross-sectional study, 791 infants were recruited via non-random sampling. Demographic and clinical characteristics of the subjects were gathered, and the Automated Auditory Brainstem Response (AABR) test was performed upon admission. Afterwards, the subjects were followed-up and re-assessed, using the AABR test. For infants with abnormal AABR results, the Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) test was performed on the day of discharge.Results:The mean age of the infants was 3.75 ± 4.86 days upon admission, and 56.4% of the subjects were female. The mean length of hospital stay was 9.63 ± 1.1 days; the subjects were hospitalized for 3.50 ± 10.21 days in the NICUs and 6.1 ± 5.27 days in the neonatal wards. In total, 3.4% of the infants presented with SNHL. No significant difference was found between SNHL and neonates’ age (P = 0.52), sex (P = 0.5), or sepsis (P = 0.94). However, SNHL was significantly associated with gestational age (P = 0.045), birth weight (P < 0.001), length of hospital stay (P < 0.001), pathological jaundice (P=0.033), antibiotic treatments (P = 0.007), and total serum bilirubin level (P = 0.01). Additionally, binary logistic regression analysis demonstrated the association between SNHL and these factors.Conclusions:In this study, the prevalence of SNHL among hospitalized neonates was similar to previous reports in Iran and other countries. Based on the findings, administration of ototoxic drugs during the neonatal period can lead to SNHL. Therefore, it seems essential to regularly screen newborns under treatment and limit the indiscriminate use of ototoxic drugs.

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