Neonatal and maternal risk factors for hearing loss in children based on population-based data of Korea

Objectives: We identified the neonatal and maternal risk factors for hearing loss (HL) in children using National Health Insurance Service data of Korea. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from the National Health Insurance Service. Infants born from 2007 to 2013 were tracked to 2015. Those diagnosed with hearing disabilities or who underwent cochlear implant surgery were included in the hearing disability group. We compared the incidence of any diagnosed disability other than a hearing disability; any maternal disability at delivery; maternal age at delivery; prenatal and neonatal Toxoplasma, syphilis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, and herpes simplex infections; craniofacial anomaly; low birth weight, hyperbilirubinemia, and bacterial meningitis; neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission for > 5 days; exchange transfusion; and ototoxic drug use (aminoglycosides or loop diuretics), between the hearing disability and control groups. Results: The total number of newborns came to 3,164,825. Risk factors were sought in a hearing disability group (n = 847) compared to a control group (n = 2508). A diagnosed disability other than a hearing disability, which was commonly a brain lesion, the use of ototoxic drugs, NICU admission for >5 days, and a maternal disability at delivery, which was commonly a hearing disability, were significant neonatal and maternal risk factors for HL in children. Conclusions: Accompanying brain lesions, maternal hearing disabilities at delivery, use of ototoxic drugs during the neonatal period, and hospitalization in NICU for >5 days were significant risk factors for HL in children, as revealed by analysis of population-based data.