Audiological Evaluation of Pregnant Women With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Clinical Study

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is defined as an abnormal glucose metabolism with varying severity, recognized first during pregnancy. GDM usually occurs during 2 nd and 3 rd trimesters of pregnancy. The pathological changes caused by it are same as Diabetes Mellitus affecting various organs including eyes and ears. The high fluctuations in blood glucose levels are known to produce micro vascular changes in kidney, retina, cochlea and peripheral nerves. WHO prescribed criterion for Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT) helps in diagnosing the condition. The aim of diagnosis of GDM is to prevent complications of High fluctuating blood levels in the mother. A clinical study is conducted to assess the effect of GDM on hearing acuity of the patients diagnosed with GDM in 2 nd and 3 rd trimesters of pregnancies in a tertiary Hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 39 pregnant women with GDM during their antenatal checkups at the OPD of OBG department of Government General Hospital attached to Gandhi Medical College, Secunderabad are randomly selected for this study are termed as study group. 43 Subjects without GDM, with Body mass Index (BMI) above 25Kg/m are included as control group. GTT is done as prescribed by the American Association of Dialectologists to confirm the diagnosis. The hearing acuity is assessed by pure tone audiometry by a trained audiologist in a sound proof room. Air conduction thresholds and PTA are recorded in both the groups after a preliminary ENT examination. RESULTS: There was no decrease in air or bone conduction thresholds of lower frequencies and SRT in both the groups. There was decrease in air conduction threshold levels in mid frequencies, but no decrease in bone conduction thresholds (4K, 6K) of study group. There was statistically significant fall in Air conduction thresholds of higher frequencies (10K, 12K, and 14K) in the study group. CONCLUSIONS: Gestational Diabetes Mellitus is a Pregnancy risk factor causing hearing loss in women affecting the mid and high frequency air conduction thresholds.