Neonatal Hearing Screening: Prevalence of Unilateral and Bilateral Hearing Loss and Associated Risk Factors

Abstract

Introduction: Newborn hearing screening is essential for early identification of hearing loss to decrease the adverse effects of hearing loss. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of hearing loss and risk factors of congenital hearing loss in newborns.Methods: In this analytical case-control study, a hearing screening test was performed for all newborns aged 3-14 days.Results: Of 5,500 newborns evaluated, 24 newborns had hearing loss. The prevalence of hearing loss was 4.36 per 1,000. Of 24 hearing-impaired newborns, 15 had bilateral hearing loss (BHL) (62.5%) and nine had unilateral hearing loss (UHL) (37.5%). Among the neonates with hearing loss, the prevalence of hearing loss was higher (77.8%) in the right ear. The main risk factors identified in this study were low gestational age (P=0.001), hospitalization in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) ( P=0.008), exposure to ototoxic drugs (P=0.001), gestational diabetes P=0.01), craniofacial anomalies (P=0.01), convulsion (P=0.03), consanguineous marriage of parents (P=0.001), low birth weight (P=0.01), and hyperbilirubinemia (P=0.001). Conclusion:The prevalence of hearing loss was higher in the right ear than in the left ear. NICU stay, use of ototoxic drugs, low gestational age (<35 weeks), gestational diabetes, craniofacial anomalies, convulsion, consanguineous marriage of parents, low birth weight, and hyperbilirubinemia were significant risk factors for congenital hearing loss in studied newborns.

Optimized concurrent hearing and genetic screening in Beijing, China: A cross-sectional study

“…The finding that the referral rate for hearing screening was lower for females than for males in the 2 years studied was consistent with results reported by Yan et There were no significant differences in referral rates after the results of genetic and hearing screening were stratified by prematurity, suggesting that there may not necessarily be an association between prematurity and positivity in genetic screening for deafness. Sabbagh et al reported that the main risk factors for hearing loss included a low gestational age (<35 weeks) (41). In the current study, preterm delivery was defined as less than 37 weeks of gestation.…”

Effect of Preeclampsia and Gestational diabetes mellitus on Neonatal Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions: A Tertiary Care Center Study

“…12 In this study the prevalence of bilateral refer DPOAE during the first test on day 2 among GDM, preeclampsia and control group was 15.81%, 19.52%, and 3.52% respectively which is high compared to other studies. 13 However the prevalence reduced drastically at the second DPOAE test among GDM, preeclampsia, control group that is, 4.5%, 3.33%, and 0.58% respectively. Subsequent ABR also showed Pass result in most of the neonates who had failed repeat DPOAE indicating that the hearing loss is transient which is consistent with previous studies by Alan and Alan.…”

Relationship between Hearing Loss Risk Factors and Hearing Screening Results in Newborns: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study

“…The findings indicated that the probability of passing results in newborns without NICU admission was two times greater than in those with NICU admission. Other studies also found that NICU hospitalization for more than 5 days could be a risk factor for hearing loss [24][25][26]. Hearing loss caused by staying in NICU could be due to mechanical ventilation for asphyxia and respiratory distress of newborns in the NICU that adversely damages the peripheral auditory system function [2,26].…”