[Effectiveness study of the universal newborn hearing screening]

This article discusses the insufficiency of family participation in a program of Universal Newborn Hearing Screening. As it is a premature detection of hearing alterations, with the possibility of reduction of damages caused by these, it becomes essential the family participation during all the diagnosis process. The aim of the text is to understand the absence of the mothers of infants born between May 2002 and June 2004 at Center of Integral Attention to the Health of the Woman (Unicamp) when returning to a second hearing evaluation. Through the characterization of social-demographic profiles of the mothers, some aspects were related to the non-returning at the screener service and three mothers were selected to interview. It was concluded that three traces from the mother's profiles are detached among mothers who returned less times: to have more than one child; to have frequency of only one to three prenatal consultations; and not having a partner. The basic allegation for the nonreturning was that the loss of hearing could be identified through observation at home. Besides being constituted by social factors, the absences of the mothers reflect cultural practices. It was considered necessary the creation of a net of health services that guide the mothers of infants about alterations in the infantile development.