Sheehan Jane, Jagger Alison, Francis Kate L, Dashti S Ghazaleh, Gornall Patrick, Barker Melinda, Sung Valerie, Ruiz-Carmona Sergio, Baohm Susan, Poulakis Zeffie
Centre for Community Child Health, The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2025 Jan;188:112191. doi: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2024.112191. Epub 2024 Dec 9.
Infections during pregnancy can increase the risk of congenital hearing loss. This population-based study investigated the effect of birthing parent COVID-19 infection during pregnancy on risk of congenital hearing loss in infants.
Records of infants born in 2022 were reviewed via a retrospective clinical audit of a universal state-wide newborn hearing screening program in Victoria, Australia. The number and timing of COVID-19 infections during pregnancy were collected via self-report at the time of the hearing screen. Infant records (n = 75,330) were divided into birthing parent infection group (n = 25,547, 33.9 %), and non-infection group (n = 49,783, 66.1 %). Group differences in screen and diagnostic audiology results were estimated by general linear regression models with a binomial distribution.
Birthing parent and infant characteristics were similar across groups. Comparable proportions of infants obtained a refer result on their newborn hearing screen, requiring referral to diagnostic audiology (infection group: 1.4 %, 95%CI 1.2-1.5 versus non-infection group: 1.3 %, 95%CI 1.2-1.4). The proportion of infants diagnosed with any type and degree of hearing loss was also similar (infection group: 0.6 %, 95%CI 0.5-0.7 versus non-infection group: 0.6 %, 95%CI 0.6-0.7).
This epidemiological study is the largest to date and demonstrates that infants whose birthing parent reported COVID-19 infection during pregnancy were not at increased risk of obtaining a refer result on their newborn hearing screen, nor at increased risk of congenital hearing loss. Specific protocols or guidelines to manage the newborn hearing screening pathway of infants born to a parent with COVID-19 during pregnancy are not supported by this study's findings.
孕期感染会增加先天性听力损失的风险。这项基于人群的研究调查了孕期分娩父母感染新冠病毒对婴儿先天性听力损失风险的影响。
通过对澳大利亚维多利亚州一项全州范围的新生儿听力普遍筛查项目进行回顾性临床审计，审查了2022年出生婴儿的记录。孕期新冠病毒感染的次数和时间通过听力筛查时的自我报告收集。婴儿记录（n = 75330）分为分娩父母感染组（n = 25547，33.9%）和未感染组（n = 49783，66.1%）。采用二项分布的一般线性回归模型估计筛查和诊断听力学结果的组间差异。
各组间分娩父母和婴儿的特征相似。在新生儿听力筛查中获得转诊结果（即需要转诊至诊断听力学）的婴儿比例相当（感染组：1.4%，95%CI 1.2 - 1.5；未感染组：1.3%，95%CI 1.2 - 1.4）。被诊断患有任何类型和程度听力损失的婴儿比例也相似（感染组：0.6%，95%CI 0.5 - 0.7；未感染组：0.6%，95%CI 0.6 - 0.7）。
这项流行病学研究是迄今为止规模最大的，表明分娩父母在孕期报告感染新冠病毒的婴儿，在新生儿听力筛查中获得转诊结果的风险并未增加，先天性听力损失的风险也未增加。本研究结果不支持针对孕期感染新冠病毒的父母所生婴儿的新生儿听力筛查途径制定特定方案或指南。
