Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41030077›Full record

SynthesisThe Journal of laryngology and otology2025

Effects of pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions on the inner ear: a systematic review.

Sara Timms, Emma Stapleton

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in The Journal of laryngology and otology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Sara TimmsDepartment of Otolaryngology, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester, UK.
Emma StapletonDepartment of Otolaryngology, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7763-9705

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe inner ear is a complex sensory organ with finely balanced physiology; disrupting this may cause hearing changes or vestibular symptoms. Pregnancy involves multiple significant reversible alterations in physiological state. This study reviews literature on the inner ear in pregnancy.

methodsThe review was pre-registered on the PROSPERO database CRD42023446898. Robust searches were conducted by two independent researchers according to the PRISMA 2020 guideline.

resultsA total of 69 studies were filtered into the final analysis. Consistent evidence of subclinical hearing loss in pregnancy was identified, which resolved following childbirth. Auditory processing is affected by pregnancy. Vestibular dysfunction may contribute to pregnancy nausea. Sudden sensorineural hearing loss does not occur more frequently in pregnancy.

conclusionThis review summarises evidence for reversible and irreversible changes to hearing and vestibular function in pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, reviewing aetiological theories and offering insight to audiovestibular physiology and explaining audiovestibular symptoms in the pregnant patient.

Indexed as

Ear, InnerHearing LossPregnancy ComplicationsFemaleHearing Loss, SensorineuralHumansLabyrinth DiseasesPregnancyVestibular Diseasesbalancecochleagestational diabeteshearinghearing lossinner earpre-eclampsiapregnancyvestibular labyrinth

Identifiers

PMID41030077
PMCPMC12674986

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.