Congenital abnormalities of the ear in perinatal deaths.

A study of temporal bone history was carried out on 15 cases of perinatal deaths. Specimens included cases of general abortion, abortion due to rubella, still births and postnatal deaths. In one case that survived for 7 years with congenital hearing loss the clinical and audiological findings were available as well as the temporal bone histology. Ten of the cases had abnormal stapes and 5 had a cochlear duct abnormality ranging from absence of one turn to complete distortion of the normal configuration. The possible role of maternal factors in the production of these abnormalities is discussed.