The sensory component of the disease may eventually lead to complete deafness, but fortunately, this is unusual Later on, a conductive pattern of hearing loss appears. The conductive type of otosclerosis usually progresses up to a maximum in the 30's. After this, it rarely progresses. In about half of all patients, there is a family history of similar problems. Women are affected twice as often as men.
Pregnancy often has an adverse effect. .
Otosclerosis is often discovered during or just after pregnancy. The effect of hormone supplements post-menopause is unknown. Most feel that otosclerosis is an inherited, an autosomal dominant disease with variable penetrance. Some feel that chronic measles infection in bone predispose patients to otosclerosis. Pathologically, otosclerosis occurs only in human temporal bones, and is considered to be a disorder of new bone formation.