Abstract
Many physiological changes occur during pregnancy. The aim of the study was to reveal whether there is a change in middle ear resonance frequency during pregnancy. A prospective case-control study was designed at a tertiary referral center. The study included 46 pregnant women at the third trimester (27-40 weeks) and 43 nonpregnant voluntary women. All the study subjects underwent pure-tone audiometry and multifrequency tympanometry. Pure-tone hearing levels at frequencies of 250 to 8000 Hz and resonance frequency values were compared between pregnant and nonpregnant women. Impact of age, side of the tested ear, and weight gained in pregnancy on resonance frequency were evaluated. Air conduction threshold values at frequencies of 250 Hz and 500 Hz were significantly higher in pregnant women than in the control group (P<0.001). Middle ear resonance frequency values of both ears in pregnant women were found to be significantly lower than those in control group (P<0.001). There was no statistically significant relation of middle ear resonance frequency values to age or side of the tested ear in both groups (P>0.05). A negative correlation between weight gained in pregnancy and middle ear resonance frequency values was determined for the left ear (correlation coefficient for left ears: –0.348, P=0.018). The results of this study suggest that resonance frequency may be decreased during the pregnancy. More comprehensive studies in which many pregnant women followed regularly before and after pregnancy are needed to have more certain links.
Highlights
Hormonal system of women is unique due to the changes observed in pregnancy, menstrual cycle and menopause period
A negative correlation between weight gained in pregnancy and middle ear resonance freerc Correspondence: Seyra Erbek, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and m Neck Surgery, Baskent University Hospital, 5
Multifrequency tympanometry (MFT) is a method providing the analysis of tympanogram obtained over different probe tones in the range of 200 Hz and 2000 Hz.[3]
Summary
Hormonal system of women is unique due to the changes observed in pregnancy, menstrual cycle and menopause period. During a normal pregnancy period, in order to meet the needs of fetus and placenta that grow rapidly, a lot of certain alterations occur in metabolic, cardiovascular, hematologic, respiration, urinary, gastro-intestinal and endocrine system.[1] These alterations help women to be protected against some risks in pregnancy and during birth and enable fetal development.[2] Weight gain is the most noticeable physiologic alteration in pregnancy, especially during the third trimester. Tympanometry measures the middle ear function objectively by using 226 Hz probe-tone. Multifrequency tympanometry (MFT) is a method providing the analysis of tympanogram obtained over different probe tones in the range of 200 Hz and 2000 Hz.[3] Resonance frequency is the main parameter of MFT. High-frequency probe tones are quite valued to determine pathology changing stiffness effect of the middle ear system. Research has been focused on the role of MFT in the differential diagnosis of various middle ear pathologies.[4]
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