Can I do anything while I'm pregnant to help prevent congenital hearing impairment in my baby?

Can I do anything while I'm pregnant to help prevent congenital hearing impairment in my baby?

Jason Hamilton (Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon) gives expert video advice on: What should I do if I suffer a sudden hearing loss?; How does excessive noise affect my hearing?; Which diseases or illnesses can cause hearing impairment? and more...

Congenital hearing loss, in many cases, can be prevented. Often, problems that affect the fetus are due to a maternal infection, such as measles, mumps, syphilis or tuberculosis. Getting routine screening exams and following up with your gynecologist will help prevent you from getting these or spreading these infections to your child. Alcohol has also been shown to cause hearing loss as well. There's something called fetal alcohol syndrome, and often those children are born with hearing loss because of the alcohol's effect on the baby.