Association between food insecurity and perinatal risk factors with hearing problems in preterm birth

Background: hearing disorders in the premature newborns impact on their development and language and therefore, on their quality of life. Several risk factors have been associated to these conditions, but little is known about socioeconomic, nutrition factors and food security. Objective: to analyze the association between food security and prenatal risk factors in newborns with hearing disorders. Material and methods: study of 35 cases and 105 controls in premature newborns from 30 to 37 weeks of gestation (WG) in a public hospital. The working tool was a questionnaire to collect data about the maternal medical record and the anthropometry of the newborn, as well as the risk factors for the auditory function, sociodemographic aspects, and food security with its respective classification and food habits. Results: the principal perinatal risk factor associated to hearing impairment was the use of gentamycin (ototoxic drug) in 18.1% of the total (OR: 5.61 [1.29-24.50]). Severe food insecurity was associated with auditory disfunctions in 27.2% of cases and in 2.8% of controls (OR: 12.75 [2.89-56.16]). There were differences between the groups regarding the education level (cases: 50% of the mothers finished or interrupted primary education level vs controls with 19%; Ji2 = 0.008). The anthropomorphic variables showed differences in weight, length and cephalic perimeter for the newborns (p < 0.000). Conclusion: severe food insecurity, exposure to gentamycin and low education level of the mother had a significant association with auditory impairments in preterm children. For these newborns, variables like weight, length and cephalic perimeter at the moment of birth were lower than in controls. These initial findings point to the important role that environmental risks, like food insecurity, have in auditory impairments in addition to those previously described.