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. 2022 Dec 24;182(3):1077–1081. doi: 10.1007/s00431-022-04770-8

What is known:

• The pathogenetic mechanism of the viral-induced impairment of the organ of Corti includes direct damage to the hair cells and indirect damage due to the induction of the innate inflammatory response.

• Early data suggested that the SARS-CoV-2 virus also has neurotropic properties with manifestations from the sensory epithelia.

What is new:

• Although the intrauterine infection remains controversial, the expression of the ACE-2 receptor on the placenta and the detection of IgM antibodies, as well as the covid-19 genome in fetuses, make the vertical transmission tenable.

• In our study, the newborn hearing screening results indicate that COVID-19 infection during pregnancy is not a risk factor for hearing loss.