Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 5, 2026
Neonatal Murine Cochlear Explant Technique as an In Vitro Screening Tool in Hearing Research
Published on: June 8, 2017
Neonatal Screening for Prevalence of Hearing Impairment in Rural Areas
Sapna R Parab1, Mubarak M Khan1, Sneha Kulkarni1
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, M.I.M.E.R. Medical College, Talegaon-D, Pune, 410507 India.
Insights
Neonatal hearing loss affects 3.54 per 1000 live births in rural India. Early screening and intervention are crucial for speech development and quality of life in infants with hearing impairment.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Neonatal Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Hearing loss in neonates can significantly delay speech and language development.
- Early identification and intervention are critical for improving developmental outcomes and quality of life.
- Neonatal hearing impairment prevalence data from rural India is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of hearing loss in neonates in the Maval taluka of Pune, Maharashtra, India.
- To compare hearing loss prevalence between high-risk and well-baby neonates.
- To identify specific risk factors associated with neonatal hearing impairment.
Main Methods:
- Prospective non-randomized clinical study conducted from April 2012 to April 2015.
- Screened 8192 neonates in the Maval area, categorizing them into high-risk (1683) and well-baby (6509) groups.
- Calculated prevalence rates per 1000 live births for overall, well-baby, and high-risk populations.
Main Results:
- Overall neonatal hearing loss prevalence was 3.54 per 1000 live births.
- Prevalence was 1.689 per 1000 in well babies and 10.69 per 1000 in high-risk babies.
- Hearing impairment prevalence linked to low birth weight (5.9/1000), hyperbilirubinemia (3.56/1000), and craniofacial abnormalities (1.18/1000) in high-risk neonates.
Conclusions:
- Neonatal hearing loss is a significant concern in rural Indian populations.
- Universal neonatal hearing screening is recommended for early detection and timely rehabilitation.
- Targeted screening for high-risk infants can identify a greater proportion of affected neonates.
Abstract:
Hearing is one of the most important sense organs for man. Hearing loss is often associated with delayed speech and language development in young children. Early identification and intervention improves the chance a child gets to lesser delays in development and improving the overall quality of life. To find out the prevalence of hearing loss in neonates in the rural taluka of Maval, Pune, Maharashtra, India. Prospective Non Randomized Clinical Study. The study was carried out between April 2012 and April 2015. A total of 8192 babies were screened across various centers around the Maval area. The babies who had some high risk factors were 1683 in number and babies who had no high risk factors i.e. well babies were 6509. In our study, the overall prevalence of hearing loss in neonates in Maval taluka of Maharashtra was found to be 3.54 per 1000 live births, in normal born neonates (well babies) was 1.689 per 1000 births, in high risk babies was 10.69 per 1000 high risk births. The prevalence of low birth weight neonates, hyperbilirubinemia neonates and neonates with craniofacial abnormalities developing hearing impairment was found to be 5.9, 3.56 and 1.18 per 1000 high risk births respectively. India is the second most populated country in the world with nearly a fifth of the world's population. There is a need for the universal neonatal screening for deafness for earlier detection of deafness and rehabilitation. Level of Evidence: Level IV.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:31Hearing
01:08Prevalence and Incidence
Prevalence indicates the proportion of individuals in a population who have a specific disease or health...
01:17Factors Affecting Renal Clearance: Renal Impairment
One condition associated with renal failure is uremia. Uremia is characterized by impaired glomerular filtration and fluid accumulation in the body. This condition hinders the renal clearance of drugs, resulting in drug accumulation and potential...
01:08Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Dose Adjustments Due to Hepatic Impairment
02:46Genetic Screens
Forward genetic screens
Forward or “classical” genetic screens involve creating random mutations in an organism’s DNA using radiation, mutagens, or insertion of additional bases, which...
01:33Pleiotropy