Diagnosis of Congenital Rubella in Utero

RUBELLA infection of a susceptible pregnant woman is frequently transmitted to her fetus.1 During the first trimester of pregnancy, rubella infection of the fetus is associated with a high rate of severe sequelae.1 , 2 Even after the first trimester rubella infection may result in fetal damage.3 Consequently, when the diagnosis of rubella infection during pregnancy is confirmed, therapeutic abortion is usually considered. However, this diagnosis is often difficult to establish. Facilities for virus isolation are not readily available, and the serologic technics usually used4 require paired serum specimens, the first of which must be obtained before or shortly after infection. In . . .