Hearing loss in newborns with prenatal cytomegalovirus record: Analysis of the nation-based data in Türkiye

Abstract

Purpose

Primary and non-primary prenatal maternal cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections are a common risk factor for congenital CMV (cCMV) infection, leading to sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). In this study, we looked for the rate of SNHL in newborns with prenatal maternal CMV records in the National Newborn Hearing Screening Program (NNHSP).

Methods

The database between 2016 and 2019 was retrospectively analyzed for those with prenatal maternal CMV record. The controls were composed of the sex-matched newborns without prenatal maternal CMV record. In addition to hearing status at the end of NNHSP, other risk factors related to congenital hearing loss (CHL) were also analyzed in both groups.

Results

The study included 243 and 235 newborns with and without prenatal maternal CMV records, respectively, and of them, 222 and 213 newborns completed the whole NNHSP. While the control newborns without any risk factors disclosed no SNHL, 1.96 % of those with only prenatal maternal CMV record had SNHL. Rates of SNHL in those with risk factors were 3.33 % and 3.88 % in the prenatal maternal CMV and control groups, respectively.

Conclusion

With the results of this study, we can say that the CHL rate in those with prenatal maternal CMV history (1.96 %) was much higher than previously published CHL data in general population in Türkiye (0.2–0.3 %). Presence of other risk factors along with prenatal maternal CMV increased the rate of SNHL. Maternal CMV infection should be taken account during management of pregnancies as important a risk factor as other risk factors of CHL even in the societies with high maternal CMV seropositivity.