Cochlear implant recipients' hearing sensation as manifested by their maps during pregnancy and postpartum.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate possible changes in hearing sensation as manifested in the maps' psychoacoustic parameters, threshold (T), and most comfortable (C/M) levels among cochlear implant (CI) female recipients during pregnancy and after delivery.

SETTING

University-affiliated tertiary referral center.

DESIGN

: Retrospective study.

METHOD: Two MedEl device and 3 Nucleus device users' medical records were reviewed for age at the time of implantation, cause of deafness, type of anesthesia used during delivery, and maps' parameters (T and C/M levels) during pregnancy and after childbirth.

RESULTS

Two CI recipients underwent uncomplicated cesarean deliveries under spinal anesthesia, and 3 others had natural delivery without anesthesia. There were no changes in map values during pregnancy, delivery, and the postpartum period in 4 of 5 CI recipients. Only 1 CI recipient showed significant increase in T levels that was resolved after she completed breastfeeding 3 months postdelivery.

CONCLUSION

The elevation in T levels might indicate that pregnancy and delivery can result in some temporary reversible changes in hearing sensation manifested by map levels of CI users.