Butcher E, et al. - In the present study, researchers tested the premise that a shorter gestational length predicts a higher risk of permanent childhood hearing impairment (PCHI). The study sample consisted of 19,504 participants from the UK Millennium Cohort Study (born 2000–2002, prior to newborn screening). Findings revealed that neonatal illness predicts the risk of PCHI rather than gestational length. The risk of Bangladeshi or Pakistani ethnicity or born to younger mothers was increased in those with neonatal illness, with or without admission to neonatal care.