Prevalence of Hearing Loss in Twins

Objective: Determine the prevalence of hearing loss in the twin population. Compare the degree of hearing loss between first- and second-born twins. Method: A retrospective review of twins born with hearing loss at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital from 2005 to 2009 was done. Birth, medical history, and hearing test results were reviewed and recorded. Categorical and continuous data were analyzed using chi-square tests and student’s t-test respectively. Results: A total of 1826 twins (913 sets) were born from 2005 to 2009. Twenty-four out of 1826 (1.31%) twins have hearing loss. Mean gestational age was 32.15 (SD, ±4.36), and mean birth weight was 1.67 (SD, ±0.76). There is no difference in the degree of hearing loss between the first- and second-born twins. Conclusion: Hearing loss occurs in 1.3 per 1000 twins. The birth order of twins does not influence the degree of hearing loss.