Timing of Newborn Hearing Screening Effects on Passing Rates: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Newborn hearing screening using transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs) is essential for early detection of hearing impairment. The Joint Committee on Infant Hearing recommends screening near hospital discharge but does not specify an optimal timing. To determine the optimal timing for TEOAE screening in neonates at low risk of hearing impairment and to identify perinatal factors influencing pass rates.Neonates underwent sequential TEOAE screening based on postnatal age at the time of testing: less than 24, 24 to 36, 36 to 48, and more than 48 hours, with follow-up at 1 month for persistent failures. Statistical analyses included Fisher's exact test to compare pass rates across time intervals and multivariate Cox's proportional hazards regression and Laplace regression to assess factors associated with screening outcomes.Among 408 neonates, the median passing age was 23.8 hours (interquartile range: 14.3). Pass rates improved with later screening: 53.7% at less than 24 hours, 80.1% at 24 to 36 hours, 92.6% at 36 to 48 hours, and 99.3% at more than 48 hours. A significant improvement was observed only at more than 48 hours (odds ratio: 5.26;