Ms Alison Jagger1,2, Dr Jane Sheehan1,2, Dr Melinda Barker1,2,3, Dr Zeffie Poulakis1,2,3, Ms Kate Francis3,4
1Victorian Infant Hearing Screening Program, Centre for Community Child Health, Royal Children’s Hospital , Parkville, Australia, 2Prevention Innovation, Population Health, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute , Parkville, Australia, 3Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia, 4Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, Australia
Background
Newborn hearing screening programs provide a unique opportunity to investigate potential relationships between maternal COVID-19 infection and neonatal hearing loss. In most cases hearing screening occurs within hours or days of birth and additional information regarding risk indicators are often collected at this time.
There are a small number of studies published to date which investigate the relationship between maternal COVID-19 and hearing loss in neonates, with most suggesting that either further research is required, or no association was identified.
Method
Between January 2020 and June 2022, the Victorian Infant Hearing Screening Program (VIHSP) collected information from mothers regarding their COVID-19 status during pregnancy and that of their infant following birth.
Results
In the period from January 2020 to June 2022, 9,419 Victorian mothers were recorded as having COVID-19 during pregnancy, as well as 66 infants recorded as having COVID-19 at birth. Hearing-screen refer rates for those infants born to mothers who reported maternal COVID-19 or had COVID-19 at birth were comparable to those who did not (1.27% compared to 1.13%). Diagnostic result data was also comparable between groups. These data will be presented in more detail, including further analysis of refer rates at each stage of the hearing screen.
Conclusion
The evidence from this small, preliminary study does not suggest an increased rate of referral or increased rate of hearing loss at birth in children with mothers who had COVID-19 during pregnancy. It will be important to continue to provide hearing surveillance for these infants to monitor for progressive hearing loss. Further data is needed to substantiate the possibility of maternal or neonatal COVID-19 affecting hearing. Multicenter studies with larger sample size, greater control of variables and confounders, and long-term surveillance of these neonates is required to understand this risk.
Biography:
Alison Jagger (alison.jagger@rch.org.au) is an audiologist and senior project officer with the Victorian Infant Hearing Screening Program (VIHSP). She has extensive experience in paediatric audiology and is passionate about ensuring a positive experience for infants and their families as they progress along the screening, diagnostic and intervention pathway. Her current role is multifaceted and involves contributing to a variety of quality improvement initiatives to support an evidenced based program with strong stakeholder relationships.