ABSTRACT
@#Introduction: The prevalence of hearing loss ranges from 1 to 3 per 1000 live births and 2-4 per 100 high-risk babies as in low birth weight babies. Hearing screening in all newborns has not been fully implemented at Dr. Soetomo Hospital Surabaya so this research is expected to be the basis for hearing screening in all babies born especially low birth weight babies (LBW). The objective of the study was to predict the effect of low birth weight babies on impaired cochlear function in newborns. Methods: Cross-sectional comparative study was conducted from September 2018 to March 2019 in Dr. Soetomo Hospital. The subjects of this study were infants aged 2-28 days old in the nursery. Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions (DPOAE) was used to examineselected babies who fulfilled the selection criteria. Results: Twenty babies (≥2500 gram) and 20 babies (<2500 grams) were selected in this study. The proportion of cochlear dysfunction in infants with birth weights <1500 grams and 1500-2500 grams in Dr. Soetomo Hospital Surabaya was 50% and 35.7%. In multivariate analysis birth weight <1500 and birth weight 1500-2499 had a risk respectively 2.06 (95% Confidence Interval 0.08-48.26 P = 0.653) and 1.20 (95% Confidence Interval 0.07-20.34 P = 0.899) respectively. The proportion of cochlear dysfuntion in babies with birth weight ≥2500 grams is the highest which is 65 %. Conclusion: In this study Low Birth Weight Babies have a risk of 35.7 % of impaired cochlear function We would recommend DPOAE as screening method in all babies at Dr. Soetomo Hospital, Surabaya which is continued by second screening examination within one month on high risk babies and failed first test.