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.