Prevention of pre- and perinatal acquired hearing defects, Part I: Study of causes.

After recalling some notions of embryology, the authors review in the light of recent literature the main causes of prenatal acquired hypoacusias (of viral, bacterial, parasitic, endocrinologic, toxic or other origins) and of perinatal acquired hypoacusias (prematurity, neonatal hypoxia, obstetrical traumatism, nuclear icterus, toxicity and others) by following a systematic course (incidence, clinical signs in the mother and child, audiologic diagnosis, anatamopathology, physiopathology, prevention, and treatment).