Elderly primigravida: A sociodemographic study to determine the causes of delayed childbearing and its impact on neonatal hearing outcomes

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the demographic trends associated with delayed childbearing and to determine the incidence of hearing loss in neonates born to primigravid mothers of advanced age in a tertiary care setting in Southern India. Materials and Methods: A single-group, cross-sectional study was conducted over 1 year, involving 60 full-term neonates and their mothers identified as elderly primigravidae (age > 30 years). Reasons for delayed conception were assessed using a validated questionnaire. All neonates underwent otoscopic examination and hearing screening through transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs) according to the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing protocol. Known risk factors for hearing loss, other than advanced maternal age, were meticulously ruled out to minimize confounding. Demographic data were analyzed to identify trends, and Fisher’s exact tests were utilized to explore correlations between maternal age and TEOAE referral outcomes. Results: The mean maternal age was 32.7 years (range: 30–41 years). The majority of mothers were graduates (60%) and professionals (51.7%), with 61% belonging to the lower-middle socioeconomic class. Perceived reasons for delayed conception included professional commitments, although most participants indicated that working patterns did not significantly affect their decision to delay childbearing. Of the 60 neonates screened, 54 (90%) passed the TEOAE test, whereas 6 (10%) were referred (3 unilateral, 3 bilateral absent emissions). No statistically significant correlation was observed between advancing maternal age at conception and the likelihood of TEOAE referral. Conclusion: While a growing trend of delayed childbearing, influenced by socioeconomic and lifestyle factors, was evident in this cohort of elderly primigravidae, our findings suggest no direct association between advanced maternal age (as defined in this study) and the incidence of neonatal hearing loss as determined by initial TEOAE screening.