[Inner ear changes in fetal asphyxia]

Deafness following complications of pregnancy and obstetrics occurs frequently. The temporal bones of stillborn or neonates who died several days after delivery have often been examined, and haemorrhage and serous labyrinthitis have been found in infections, diabetes and trauma. In this study, pathological findings in the temporal bones of foetuses who died of chronic asphyxia in utero are described. 7 out of 15 cases had no labyrinthine pathology. Four had haemorrhage into the tissue or into perilymphatic or endolymphatic spaces. Likewise, four had developed eosinophilic precipitates in the liquid spaces of the inner ear. If the foetus survives such phases of hypoxia in utero, this might be the morphological correlate of developing deafness. Similar findings in infections such as rubella or cytomegalovirus infection are discussed.