Audiological findings in pregnancy

Abstract

This investigation was carried out in the Audiology and Speech Pathology Section of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology of Hacettepe University. The pregnant group comprised of 20 women followed by the Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of the same university; 18 non-pregnant women comprised the control group. The aim of this investigation was to study the relationship between hormonal changes in pregnancy and cochlear functions. All subjects underwent ENT examination, audiologic and acoustic immitance measurements and auditory brain stem response (ABR) tests. Results from each trimester and post-partum period of the pregnant group were compared. These results demonstrated that there was a decrease in hearing levels for 125 Hz, beginning in the first trimester and increasing in the second and third trimesters. Hearing returned to normal in the post-partum period. Similar findings were also obtained for 250 and 500 Hz; however, frequencies higher than 500 Hz demonstrated no significant correlation. Uncomfortable loudness was statistically significant between the third trimester and post-partum period. ABR tests did not reveal any differences. In conclusion, there is a low-frequency hearing loss and tolerance problem in pregnancy mimicking cochlear pathology. However, this hearing loss did not reach pathologic levels in any case and returned to normal in the post-partum period.

Hearing Evaluation in Preeclamptic Patients

“…Furthermore, BAEPs were also examined to determine the differences in pregnant women between trimesters. Sennaroglu and Belgin [9] investigated the audiological findings in different trimesters of normal pregnancy and reported that BAEP results showed no significant differences among trimesters. They found low-frequency hearing loss and tolerance problems in pregnancy mimicking cochlear pathology from the first to the third trimester, which returned to normal in the postpartum period.…”

“…They found low-frequency hearing loss and tolerance problems in pregnancy mimicking cochlear pathology from the first to the third trimester, which returned to normal in the postpartum period. However, no consensus as yet exists regarding the effects of hormones on hearing function [7,9]. Bruce and Russell [10] reported the hormonal changes affecting neural conduction time and suggested that retention of water and sodium due to variation in levels of sex steroids during the menstrual cycle may influence the axonal conduction time.…”

“…BAEP can be affected by age, sex, hormonal differences, and neural conditions. Several authors have reported BAEPs in women during the normal menstrual cycle and in pregnant women [7,8,9]. …”

Beidseitige H�rminderung in der Gravidit�t

“…Eine Quantifizierung der angegebenen Ohrgeräusche und eine BERA wurden von den Autoren jedoch nicht durchgeführt. Interessanterweise berichteten viele Studien, welche schwangerschaftsassozierte kochleovestibuläre-und fazialmotorische Störun-gen evaluierten, von einer regelmäßigen postpartalen Remission der Beschwerden und pathologischen Befunde, die in vielen Fällen ohne therapeutische Maß-nahmen erfolgten [4,6,7].…”

“…Diskutiert werden multiple Ursachen: virale Infektionen, schwangerschaftsbedingte hormonale Veränderungen, Immunsuppression und Flüssigkeitsverschiebungen intra-und extrazellulärer Kompartimente. Eine Studie an einem Kollektiv unauffäl-liger Schwangerer konnte zudem aufzeigen, dass es zu -inapparenten -Verände-rungen der Hörleistung während der Gravidität kommt [4].…”