2026 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 15-17, 2026 • Jacksonville, FL
| Evaluating Current Indiana Newborn Screening Protocols for Cytomegalovirus
Evaluating Current Indiana Newborn Screening Protocols for Cytomegalovirus
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most common infectious cause of birth defects in the US, infecting 60-70% of adults in industrialized countries. In total, approximately 20,000 babies are born each year with congenital CMV; around half of symptomatic cCMV infants will have sensorineural hearing loss. Multiple states have passed legislation regarding newborn CMV screenings to allow for early identification and intervention if needed. Minnesota became the first state to mandate universal CMV screenings in 2021, however no CMV data or protocol is currently established in Indiana. The purpose of this study is to analyze Indiana’s existing CMV screening framework, identify barriers to implementation of universal screening, and benchmark outcomes against Minnesota’s universal CMV screening model. A comprehensive survey over CMV protocols is currently being distributed to birthing facilities in Indiana by the Early Hearing Detection & Intervention (EHDI) team in the Indiana Department of Health. Completed survey results will be compiled to assess the current protocols Indiana birthing facilities are using to determine when they conduct a CMV screening. After comparing available protocol data, identifying what birthing hospitals are currently doing can help assess if uniformity exists or if a more standardized CMV screening protocol is needed. The findings will inform policy recommendations and contribute to efforts to improve uniformity of early identification and management of cCMV across states
- Participant will describe the prevalence of CMV in the US population.
- Participant will compare CMV screening protocol between states.
- Participant will examine the cost of implementing CMV screenings.
Presentation:
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Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Hannah Schafer
(Primary Presenter,Author), Purdue University, Hschafe@purdue.edu;
Hannah Schafer is a 3rd-year AuD student at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN with a BA in Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences from Butler University in Indianapolis. She has worked closely with Indiana’s Early Hearing Detection & Intervention (EHDI) team for the past two years as an audiology assistant. Hannah is the current President of Purdue’s SLHS Advocacy Council, organizing students statewide to advocate at the Indiana statehouse for Audiology and Speech Language Pathology legislation including CMV family education in 2024. She has spent over two years working with patients across the lifespan in University and ENT clinical settings.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Salary for Employment from Indiana EHDI.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with Purdue University, Indiana EHDI.
Nature: I am employed by Indiana EHDI as an audiology assistant which allowed this study to be conducted and data to be shared with Purdue University where I am a student. .
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.