PURPOSE: To analyze the results obtained in a neonatal hearing screening program that included two procedures, Transient Otoacoustic Emissions and Automated Brainstem Evoked Response Audiometry, in healthy neonates, born in a public hospital, regarding the variables gender (male or female) and ear that failed (left, right or bilateral). METHODS: Neonates born in a public maternity hospital, who stayed in shared rooms and attended hearing screening after discharge were included in the study. The screening included the Transient Otoacoustic Emissions with pass/fail criterium, and a retest for neonates who failed the first test with the Automated Brainstem Evoked Response Audiometry. RESULTS: A total of 5106 neonates were screened, 51.3% male and 48.7% female. Among them, 628 (12.3%) neonates failed the test, 368 (58.6%) male and 260 (41.4%) female. They were referred to the Brainstem Evoked Response Audiometry, and 223 (35.3%) came to the test. From these subjects, 199 (89.2%) passed and 24 (10.8%) failed the test: 17 (70.9%) male and seven (29.1%) female. Statistically significant difference was found between gender and fail in the Transient Otoacoustic Emissions. Ten percent of the neonates failed both screening procedures. CONCLUSION: It was found that a higher number of male neonates failed the Transient Otoacoustic Emissions screening. There was no difference between male and female neonates regarding the failled response in the right and left ears.
Neonatal screening; Auditory perception; Hearing loss; Hearing; Auditory perceptual disorders
