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Background <p>Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common metabolic disorder of pregnancy associated with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. Emerging evidence suggests that intrauterine hyperglycemia may impair fetal auditory development, yet the influence of the timing of GDM diagnosis on neonatal hearing remains unclear. This study aimed to compare neonatal auditory outcomes between early-onset and late-onset GDM and to assess maternal and neonatal factors associated with hearing impairment.</p> Materials and methods <p>A cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital from January to August 2025, enrolling 120 mothers with GDM and their neonates. Participants were stratified into early-onset GDM (diagnosed before 24 weeks, <i>n</i> = 60) and late-onset GDM (diagnosed at or after 24 weeks, <i>n</i> = 60). Maternal data included demographics, lifestyle, obstetric complications, and tobacco exposure, while neonatal data comprised birth factors and clinical outcomes. Hearing was assessed using otoacoustic emissions (OAE) within 72&#xa0;h of birth, with confirmatory brainstem evoked response audiometry (BERA) for those with persistent OAE failure. Data were analyzed using chi-square tests or Fisher’s exact test, with <i>p</i> &lt; 0.05 considered significant.</p> Results <p>Of the 120 neonates screened, 7 (5.8%) had abnormal OAE and 4 (3.3%) were confirmed to have impaired hearing on BERA. Timing of GDM diagnosis showed no significant association with OAE or BERA outcomes. In contrast, maternal tobacco exposure was strongly linked with both abnormal OAE (57.1% of failures) and impaired BERA (75% of failures). Neonatal pathological jaundice was also significantly associated with hearing impairment, accounting for 71.4% of abnormal OAE and 75% of abnormal BERA cases. No associations were found with maternal age, gravidity, family history of diabetes, birth weight, or prematurity.</p> Conclusion <p>Hearing impairment was detected in a small proportion of neonates born to GDM mothers, with no significant difference between early- and late-onset GDM groups. Instead, maternal tobacco exposure and neonatal jaundice emerged as stronger predictors of auditory dysfunction. This study shows that comprehensive perinatal risk assessment and targeted audiological surveillance can be done for high-risk neonates. However, similar studies in larger population would strengthen the evidence.</p>

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Neonatal hearing impairment in relation to early vs. late gestational diabetes mellitus diagnosis: a cross-sectional study

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月20日

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  • S. Venkatesh,
  • R. B. Namasivaya Navin,
  • S. Prabakaran,
  • R. Muthukumar,
  • S. Rajasekaran,
  • D. Balaji,
  • K. Gowthame,
  • B. Sarath kumar

摘要

Background

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common metabolic disorder of pregnancy associated with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. Emerging evidence suggests that intrauterine hyperglycemia may impair fetal auditory development, yet the influence of the timing of GDM diagnosis on neonatal hearing remains unclear. This study aimed to compare neonatal auditory outcomes between early-onset and late-onset GDM and to assess maternal and neonatal factors associated with hearing impairment.

Materials and methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital from January to August 2025, enrolling 120 mothers with GDM and their neonates. Participants were stratified into early-onset GDM (diagnosed before 24 weeks, n = 60) and late-onset GDM (diagnosed at or after 24 weeks, n = 60). Maternal data included demographics, lifestyle, obstetric complications, and tobacco exposure, while neonatal data comprised birth factors and clinical outcomes. Hearing was assessed using otoacoustic emissions (OAE) within 72 h of birth, with confirmatory brainstem evoked response audiometry (BERA) for those with persistent OAE failure. Data were analyzed using chi-square tests or Fisher’s exact test, with p < 0.05 considered significant.

Results

Of the 120 neonates screened, 7 (5.8%) had abnormal OAE and 4 (3.3%) were confirmed to have impaired hearing on BERA. Timing of GDM diagnosis showed no significant association with OAE or BERA outcomes. In contrast, maternal tobacco exposure was strongly linked with both abnormal OAE (57.1% of failures) and impaired BERA (75% of failures). Neonatal pathological jaundice was also significantly associated with hearing impairment, accounting for 71.4% of abnormal OAE and 75% of abnormal BERA cases. No associations were found with maternal age, gravidity, family history of diabetes, birth weight, or prematurity.

Conclusion

Hearing impairment was detected in a small proportion of neonates born to GDM mothers, with no significant difference between early- and late-onset GDM groups. Instead, maternal tobacco exposure and neonatal jaundice emerged as stronger predictors of auditory dysfunction. This study shows that comprehensive perinatal risk assessment and targeted audiological surveillance can be done for high-risk neonates. However, similar studies in larger population would strengthen the evidence.