Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss During Pregnancy: Clinical Characteristics, Management and Outcome

Background: Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) may occur during pregnancy with a rare prevalence, and little is known about it.

Aims: To retrospectively analyze cases of SSNHL during pregnancy and investigate their clinical characteristics, management and outcome.

Material And Methods: Records of 30 SSNHL patients during pregnancy were reviewed, including age, localization, duration from onset to treatment, gestation period, accompanying symptoms, initial hearing threshold, final hearing threshold, audiogram, treatment and outcome.

Results: Twenty-four patients (80.0%) suffered SSNHL in the second trimester or the last trimester with a high rate of tinnitus (70.0%). The initial hearing threshold was 63.4 ± 25.1 dB, and most audiograms were flat and profound. The overall recovery rate was 60.0%, including complete recovery (33.3%) and partial recovery (26.7%). Further, 16 patients received adjuvant intratympanic steroid showed a better audiologic outcome (improvement 27.1 ± 16.4 vs. 15.7 ± 12.0 dB, p = .042) than those who had not.

Conclusions And Significance: SSNHL during pregnancy often occurred in the second trimester or the last trimester with a severe hearing loss, the most audiogram configurations are flat and profound. Dextran-40 is a safe and beneficial therapy for SSNHL patients during pregnancy and adjuvant intratympanic steroid increase the probability of hearing recovery.