Rubella and Pregnancy: A Current Opinion

Abstract

Rubella is not associated with severe complications and does not produce chronic disease in children or adults. However, rubella occurring during the early months of pregnancy may cause congenital anomalies in the fetus. In order of frequency, these defects are deafness, congenital heart disease and cataracts. Such defects occur in about 10 per cent of children whose mother had rubella during early pregnancy. Studies have shown that gamma globulin is an effective prophylactic agent against rubella in pregnancy.

Current opinion seems to favor treatment of a rubella-affected child rather than performance of therapeutic abortion.