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DOHA: A new study published in the Qatar Medical Journal has identified key neonatal and congenital risk factors associated with hearing loss in newborns, offering important insights for improving early detection and intervention efforts in Qatar.
The retrospective cross-sectional study reviewed the medical records of 4,126 newborns delivered at a tertiary care hospital within four years in Qatar.
Researchers examined maternal and neonatal characteristics alongside results from the national newborn hearing screening programme to determine factors linked to failed screening outcomes.
The study found that 6 percent of newborns failed their initial hearing screening, while around 81 percent completed the screening process.
The completion rate was noted to be lower than internationally recommended benchmarks, pointing to challenges in follow-up and programme coverage that may affect early diagnosis.
Several factors showed a strong association with failed hearing screening results. Newborns with Down syndrome were found to have a markedly higher likelihood of failing the screening compared to other infants. Similarly, babies born with cleft lip and/or palate demonstrated a significantly increased risk of abnormal screening outcomes. Admission to high-risk neonatal units, including the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), was also associated with nearly double the odds of failing the hearing screening.
In contrast, some commonly reported maternal and neonatal risk factors were not found to be significantly associated with hearing loss in this population. Gestational diabetes mellitus, which affected more than one-third of the mothers included in the study, did not show a statistically significant link to failed hearing screening.
In addition, exposure to gentamicin, an antibiotic with known ototoxic potential, was not associated with increased screening failure after adjustment for other variables.
An unexpected finding of the study was related to hyperbilirubinemia, or neonatal jaundice. Infants with elevated bilirubin levels were found to have a lower likelihood of failing the hearing screening, a result that contrasts with commonly held assumptions and highlights the complexity of neonatal risk assessment.
The authors highlighted that while international guidelines provide a framework for newborn hearing screening programmes, local, population-specific data are essential to accurately identify risk factors and improve screening strategies.
They emphasised the importance of refining national protocols based on regional evidence to enhance early detection and ensure timely intervention.
Early identification of hearing loss plays a critical role in a child’s speech, language and cognitive development. The study concludes that strengthening screening coverage and focusing on high-risk groups could significantly improve long-term outcomes for affected children in Qatar.
Hearing loss affects an estimated three in every 1,000 infants worldwide, making early identification critical to long-term developmental outcomes. However, the study notes that current Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) guidelines may not fully capture region-specific neonatal risk factors, particularly in the Middle East. In Qatar, newborn hearing screening was first introduced in 2003 and has since been implemented across both public and private healthcare sectors.
