Clinical management and progress in sudden sensorineural hearing loss during pregnancy

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is a relatively rare, but distressing, disease in pregnant women. Little is known about the causes, clinical manifestations, treatments, and prognosis of SSNHL. Some hypotheses have been proposed to explain the pathophysiological mechanism of SSNHL, but most of them have not been identified. This article reviews the existing literature to present a summary of this clinical problem. Most patients suffer from SSNHL in the second or third trimester, and show moderate to profound hearing loss. The interval between the initial treatment and onset of hearing loss is less than 10 days in most patients. Some patients with SSNHL show tinnitus, vertigo, or dizziness, and fullness of the ear. Although some patients have a tendency for self-cure, treatment with intravenous dextran 40 combined with intratympanic corticosteroids is probably a safe and effective therapeutic strategy for pregnant patients with SSNHL. Further clinical research is necessary to identify the best therapeutic strategy for these patients.