The incidence of hearing impairment in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) was much higher than that of well-baby nursery. The incidence of the former was 2%-4%, whereas that of the latter was 0.1%-0.3%. Furthermore, the incidence of auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder, progressive and delayed hearing loss was also higher than those of other infants. Therefore, the newborn hearing screening program in NICU has become an important part of pediatric audiology. In this paper, we reviewed the previous studies and suggested the special procedure of hearing screening and following-up which based on the physiological and pathological characteristics of NICU in order to detect hearing impaired as early as possible.
Hearing Disorders ; diagnosis ; Hearing Tests ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Neonatal Screening

Objective To analyze the characteristics of spontaneous otoacoustic emission in full-term newbo‐rns .Methods The Capella OAE equipment (Madsen ,Denmark) was used to test Spontaneous Otoacoustic Emission (SOAE) in 147 cases (236ears) who have passed the newborn hearing screening with TEOAE(Transient Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions) .Results The SOAE incidence was 56 .77% (male 41 .51% ,female 69 .23% ;left ear 49 .14% ,right ear 64 .17% ) .It was significantly higher in females (P<0 .05) and in right ear (P<0 .05) .The av‐erage amplitude was 11 .78 ± 8 .36 dB SPL( 11 .73 ± 8 .25 dB in male ,11 .81 ± 8 .43 dB SPL in female;11 .97 ± 8 .56 dB SPL in the left ear ,11 .65 ± 8 .22 dB SPL in the right ear) .There were significant differences in genders(P<0 .01) .The frequency of SOAE focused on 3 .2~ 3 .7 kHz(2 .9~3 .4 kHz in males ,3 .4~3 .9 kHz in females ;3 .2~3 .7 kHz in the left ears ,3 .2~3 .6 kHz in the right ears) .There were significant differences in genders(P<0 .01) .The average peak of SOAE was 3 .70 ± 2 .75(3 .86 ± 2 .87 in males ,3 .62 ± 2 .70 in females;3 .70 ± 3 .02 in the left ears ,3 .70 ± 2 .55 in the right ears) .There were no significant differences in genders and laterality .Conclusion The characteristics of SOAE in full-term newborns include higher incidences ,multiple peaks and high frequency distribution .

OBJECTIVE To study the audiological and etiological characteristics of infants failed to pass hearing screening. METHODS 126 infants received audiological diagnostic tests,including auditory brainstem response(ABR),40 Hz auditory event related potential(40 Hz AERP),distortion product otoacoustic emissions(DPOAE),tympanometry and acoustic reflex. The degrees and types of the hearing loss,and etiological characteristics were analyzed. RESULTS Among 126 infants (252 ears),61 were diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss(48.41%),48 were conductive hearing loss(38.09%),and 17 were found to have normal ABR thresholds(13.49%). The hearing loss was associated with various factors,including history of infection during pregnancy(21 cases),threatened abortion(9 cases),pregnancy with age at or over 35(6 cases),extension of pregnancy(7 cases),history of systematic diseases(10 cases),history of neonatal jaundice(13 cases),history of asphyxia and hypoxia(18 cases),premature and low birth weight neonates(8 cases),neonatal diseases (8 cases),family history of deafness(5 cases),craniofacial deformity(3 cases),central nervous system disorder(6 cases),and 9 cases were second child. CONCLUSION The infants who failed to pass hearing screening have various etiology characteristics in hearing loss. The infants associated with risk factors were mostly found to have sensorineural hearing loss.

Objective To investigate the effects of the intervention,rehabilitation and speech development of children with severe hearing loss in some rural areas.Methods 61 children,including 35 males and 26 females,were diagnosed as severe hearing loss with ABR and 40 Hz-AERP from June 2004 to July 2008.All the children failed hearing screening or visited the hospital as outpatients.The ages ranged from 2 to 72 months with the average age of 17.59 months.During telephone follow-up,the questionnaire was used to gather the data regarding the usage of hearing aids,hearing and speech rehabilitation,speech development,and communication abilities.Results 33 (54.10%) children were fitted with hearing aids,and 2 (3.28%) received cochlear implants,while 26(42.62 %) neither had hearing aids nor cochlear implants.10 cases with hearing aids also had speech training,whereas 23 children with hearing aids did not receive the training.2 cases with cochlear implants and 2 cases with hearing aids were found to have good speech development and communication ability,while 31 cases with hearing aids had delayed speech development.26 cases without any devices had to rely on sign language for their commumication.Conclusion Children in rural area with severe hearing loss experience greater speech and communication difficulties because many of them have no access to intervention and speech training.The results suggest that it would be very important to increase public awareness and educate parents to have their children wear hearing aids and receive speech training.

Objective:To investigate the feasibility of universal newborn hearing screening in countryside in order to provide reliable evidence in launching this program all over the countryside of China. Method:Subjects were 12 638 infants who were born in 9 counties from Jan 2004 to Dec 2005. TEOAE was used for the fast hearing screening. Infants were screened on the 2-7 days after the birth. The re-screening was conducted in 4-6 weeks if failed in the initial screening,and follow-up were provided continually if they also failed in the re-screening. Result; Ten thouand eight hundred and forty-five of 12 638(85. 8%) were screened including 9 963(91. 9%) normal newborns and 882(8. 1%) newborns with high-risk. Seven thouand four hundred and fifty (68. 7%) newborns passed the initial screening, and 3 395 (31. 3%) people failed. One thouand seven hundred and ninty-three (14. 2%) infants were refused to be screened.Only 2 536 (74. 7%) were re-screened on time, and 859(25. 3%) did not receive re-screening. One hundred and twenty were failed in the re-screening or first screening, and 79 (65. 8%)of them received diagnostic assessment. Among the infants received diagnostic assessment, 6(7.6%)ca-ses were found to have profound hearing loss in both ears, 9(11. 4%)cases were found to be severe hearing loss(7 in both ears and 2 in single ear) , 11(13. 9%)cases were found to be moderate hearing loss (5 in both ear and 6 in single ear), 26 (32. 9%) were found to have slight hearing loss (11 in both ear and 15 in single ears), and 27 (34.2%) were normal. Fifty-two infants were diagnosed as hearing loss with a prevalence of congenital hearing loss(in binaural and monaural) of 0. 5%(52/10845)and a prevalence of bilateral hearing loss of 0. 3%(29/10845). A prevalence of congenital hearing loss was 0. 2% (22/9 963) in well infants and 3. 4% (30/882) in high risk infants. Among the 13 cases of children with severe and profound hearing loss in both ears children, 8(61. 5%)cases were fitted with hearing aids and 1 (7. 7%) case was implanted with cochlear implants. Conclusion:It is necessary and feasible to conduct hearing screening program in the rural area. However, the suitable model to perform the program in the countryside needs to be set up as soon as possible in order to get more poor infants to participate into the hearing screening program for free and increase the screening rate.

Placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) refers to the condition that placental trophoblast cells directly invade the myometrium,which is one of the most dangerous complications in obstetrics,but the pathogenesis has not been clarified.In recent years,the incidence of PAS was increasing,which has become the major reason leading to postpartum hemorrhage,perinatal emergency hysterectomy and maternal death.Available studies suggested that the occurrence of PAS was related to the following three interconnected factors:the loss of decidual membrane,enhanced trophoblast invasiveness and abnormal recasting of uterine spiral artery.This review focused on these three factors and tried to illustrate the pathophysiology of PAS.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of universal newborn hearing screening in countryside in order to provide reliable evidence in launching this program all over the countryside of China. METHOD: Subjects were 12,638 infants who were born in 9 counties from Jan 2004 to Dec 2005. TEOAE was used for the fast hearing screening. Infants were screened on the 2-7 days after the birth. The re-screening was conducted in 4-6 weeks if failed in the initial screening, and follow-up were provided continually if they also failed in the re-screening. RESULT: Ten thousand eight hundred and forty-five of 12,638 (85.8%) were screened including 9,963 (91.9%) normal newborns and 882 (8.1%) newborns with high-risk. Seven thousand four hundred and fifty (68.7%) newborns passed the initial screening, and 3,395 (31.3%) people failed. One thousand seven hundred and ninety-three (14.2%) infants were refused to be screened. Only 2,536 (74.7%) were re-screened on time, and 859 (25.3%) did not receive re-screening. One hundred and twenty were failed in the re-screening or first screening, and 79 (65.8%) of them received diagnostic assessment. Among the infants received diagnostic assessment, 6 (7.6%) cases were found to have profound hearing loss in both ears, 9 (11.4%) cases were found to be severe hearing loss (7 in both ears and 2 in single ear), 11 (13.9%) cases were found to be moderate hearing loss (5 in both ear and 6 in single ear), 26 (32.9%) were found to have slight hearing loss (11 in both ear and 15 in single ears), and 27 (34.2%) were normal. Fifty-two infants were diagnosed as hearing loss with a prevalence of congenital hearing loss (in binaural and monaural) of 0.5% (52/10845) and a prevalence of bilateral hearing loss of 0.3% (29/10845). A prevalence of congenital hearing loss was 0.2% (22/9,963) in well infants and 3.4% (30/882) in high risk infants. Among the 13 cases of children with severe and profound hearing loss in both ears children, 8 (61.5%) cases were fitted with hearing aids and 1 (7.7%) case was implanted with cochlear implants. CONCLUSION It is necessary and feasible to conduct hearing screening program in the rural area. However, the suitable model to perform the program in the countryside needs to be set up as soon as possible in order to get more poor infants to participate into the hearing screening program for free and increase the screening rate.
China ; epidemiology ; Feasibility Studies ; Hearing Loss ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; Hearing Tests ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Neonatal Screening ; Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous ; Prevalence ; Rural Population

Objective To evaluate the risk factors and sonographic findings of pregnancies complicated by placenta increta or placenta percreta. Methods Totally, 2219 cases were retrospectively analyzed from 20 tertiary hospitals in China from January 2011 to December 2015. The data were collected based on the original case records. All cases were divided into two groups, the placenta increta (PI) group (79.1％, 1755/2219) and the placenta percreta (PP) group (20.9％, 464/2219), according to the degree of placental implantation. The risk factors and sonographic findings of placenta increta or percreta were analyzed by uni-factor and logistic regression statistic methods. Results The risk factors associated with the degree of placental implantation were age, gravida, previous abortion or miscarriage, previous cesarean sections, and placenta previa (all P<0.05), especially, previous cesarean sections (χ2=157.961) and placenta previa (χ2=91.759). Sonographic findings could be used to predict the degree of placental invasion especially the boundaries between placenta and uterine serosa, the boundary between placenta and myometrium, the disruption of the placental-uterine wall interface and loss of the normal retroplacental hypoechoic zone(all P<0.01). Conclusions Previous cesarean sections and placenta previa are the main independent risk factors associated with the degree of placenta implantation. Ultrasound could be used to make a prenatal suggestive diagnosis of placenta accreta spectrum disorders.

Objective To explore the feasibility and effectiveness of otoacoustic emission (OAE) in hearing screening for preschool children .Methods A total of 616 preschool children aged 3～6 (mean age 4 .6 years old) were included in this study .All the subjects received transiently evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE) test by trained personnel .The children who failed the hearing screening received diagnostic examination in the hearing ex-amination center .Results Of 616 children ,66 (10 .71％ ) failed the hearing screening and 16 children received audi-ological assessment .In these 16 children ,8 had otitis media with effusion (5 with mild conductive hearing loss ) ,5 had impacted cerumen ,3 had normal hearing ,and none had sensorineural hearing loss .Conclusion OAE can be used effectively in the hearing screening for preschool children .But how to improve the referral rate of children who failed the hearing screening needs further discussion .