Relationship between gestational diabetes and term infant hearing outcomes: a cross-sectional data linkage study.

BACKGROUND

Congenital hearing loss can significantly affect childhood development, yet more than half of affected infants present without identifiable risk factors. A possible association between maternal diabetes and congenital hearing loss has been suggested, although existing evidence is inconsistent. This study examined the relationship between Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) and congenital hearing loss in term infants using population-level data from Queensland, Australia.

METHODS

A cross-sectional data-linkage study was conducted using the Queensland Perinatal Data Collection and the QChild newborn hearing screening database from 2014 to 2019. The cohort included term infants ( > 37 weeks) born in Queensland hospitals. Hearing outcomes were linked to maternal and perinatal variables. Multivariable regression models were used to adjust for known risk factors.

RESULTS

Among 330,778 mother-infant pairs, 11.8% were exposed to GDM. Congenital hearing loss occurred in 0.3% of infants overall, including 13.7% of those exposed to GDM. No significant association was identified between GDM and congenital hearing loss (aOR 1.09; 95% CI 0.90-1.31). Unadjusted analyses suggested higher odds of severe, retrocochlear, and structural hearing loss subtypes among exposed infants.

CONCLUSION

GDM was not associated with congenital hearing loss in term infants in this large, population-level cohort. However, heterogeneity across specific audiological phenotypes warrants further investigation.

IMPACT: No significant association between Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) and congenital hearing loss in term infants was found in a setting with universal health care and population screening for both In this context clinicians can be reassured that GDM alone is not associated with increased risk for congenital hearing loss, supporting current screening protocols and resource allocation. In this context clinicians can reassure families that congenital hearing loss due to exposure to GDM alone is unlikely.