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Hearing impairment in the neonate of preeclamptic women
Mehdi Bakhshaee1, Hassan Boskabadi, Malihe Hassanzadeh
1Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery Department, Mashad University of Medical Sciences, Mashad, Iran. BakhshaeeM@mums.ac.ir
Insights
Preeclampsia may cause temporary hearing issues in newborns, but this study found no evidence of permanent hearing loss in infants born to mothers with pregnancy-induced hypertension compared to healthy controls.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal health
- Otoacoustic emissions
- Auditory neurophysiology
Background:
- Preeclampsia poses risks to maternal and infant health, including potential multiorgan failure.
- Systemic toxemia and vascular events in preeclampsia can affect fetal development, including the inner ear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of hearing impairment in infants born to mothers with pregnancy-induced hypertension.
- To compare hearing outcomes in infants exposed to preeclampsia versus those born to healthy mothers.
Main Methods:
- A cohort study compared infants of preeclamptic mothers (n=36) with infants of healthy mothers (n=114), matched for age and sex.
- Transient evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE) and auditory brain response (ABR) tests were used to screen for hearing loss.
- Confounding variables that could impact hearing were excluded from the analysis.
Main Results:
- The initial hearing screening showed a significantly higher failure rate in the preeclampsia group (33.33%) compared to the control group (12.76%) (P=0.001).
- However, final TEOAE and ABR results between the two groups did not show a statistically significant difference (P>0.05).
Conclusions:
- Pregnancy toxemia does not appear to cause permanent hearing loss in neonates.
- Transient effects on infant hearing may occur in cases of maternal preeclampsia.
Objective:
Preeclampsia is a critical condition that puts both pregnant women and their offspring at risk for multiorgan failure, including inner ear, due to systemic toxemia and vascular events. This study was done to determine the probable prevalence of hearing impairment in children whose mothers had pregnancy-induced hypertension, compared to those born to healthy mothers.
Methods And Materials:
A cohort study was performed on two groups; the first group was made up of the offspring of preeclamptic women (n = 36) and the second was made up of offspring born to healthy mothers (n = 114). They were matched for sex and age. Other confounding variables that could have influenced the hearing were excluded. Transient evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE) and auditory brain response (ABR) tests were performed to screen hearing loss in each group.
Results:
Failure rates in the first step for cases and controls were 33.33 percent and 12.76%, respectively, which showed a significant difference statistically (P = 0.001). However, the final results of the second TEOAE and ABR between the two groups were not statistically significant (P > 0.05).
Conclusion:
Although it does not seem that pregnancy toxemia plays a role in permanent hearing loss in neonates of affected mothers, it might have a transient effect on hearing.
