The Hearing Status of Infants Born to Mothers with a History of COVID-19 Disease in the Third Trimester of Pregnancy Compared to the Control Group

Infection with various viruses during pregnancy may affect the baby's hearing. The results regarding the mother's infection with COVID-19 during pregnancy are contradictory. The purpose of this study is to compare the hearing status of infants whose mothers had a history of COVID-19 disease in the third trimester of pregnancy with the control group.

This descriptive-analytical study was conducted in 1400 in Isfahan province. 35 babies belonged to the group whose mothers had a history of COVID-19 during the 3rd trimester of the recent pregnancy, and 35 babies were in the control group. The results of newborn hearing screening tests were asked from the mothers and recorded. In the first stage, the Transient Otoacoustic Emissions (TOAEs) test was recorded for both groups, and for infants who had a failed response at this stage, the results of the next tests (TEOAE) and Automated Auditory Brainstem Response (AABR) that were conducted 15 days after the first evaluation were recorded, and in case of failed again, the results of the Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) test were recorded to know the hearing status of infants.

19 infants in the COVID-19 group and 13 infants in the control group had screening tests with a referral result. In the second assessment, in the COVID-19 group only one infant had a referral result. In the diagnostic assessment, this infant's hearing turned out to be normal. All the infants in the Control Group had acceptable results in the second test (P = 0.314).

The analysis of results shows that infliction with COVID-19 in the third trimester of pregnancy does not increase the risk of hearing loss among infants.