Rubella in Pregnancy as Aniatiological Factor in Congenital Malformation, Stillbirth, Miscarriage and Abortion

Congenital Defects

“…From 1945-50 reports of similar cases appeared from all over the world in association with maternal rubella in the first trimester. Subsequent studies, notably by Swan (1949), suggested that the risk of congenital rubella following maternal rubella in the first four months of pregnancy was 75 %, being 83 % in the first month and 61 % in the fourth month. Subsequent prospective studies have revealed that the risk following first trimester infection is of the order of 10-20 %.…”

Fetal Abnormalities

“…In recent times, no doubt stimulated by the occurrence of phocomelia in the offspring of mothers who had taken thalidomide in early pregnancy, attention has been given to possible environmental factors which might be responsible for congenital abnormalities. Although drugs or other chemicals have only been incriminated in a few instances, considerable attention has been paid to the possible effect of viruses as a result of the widespread changes found in the rubella syndrome (Swan 1949).…”