Rubella During Pregnancy| Its Effects upon Perinatal Mortality, the Incidence of congenital Abnormalities and Immaturity. A Preliminary Report

Summary An investigation has been started to ascertain the pathogenic effects on the focutus of rubella in the mother during pregnancy. A preliminary report is givne of these effects as assessed at birth and shortly afterwards, in a series of 1067 cases of rubella during pregnancy. Rubella, during tlie first 4 mouths of pregnancy is found to have a demonatrable effect in the form of stillbirth, neonatal death, anatomically demonstrable abnormalities and immaturity. The total incidence is approximately 17 per cent as compared to approximately 6 per cent in a concurrent control series. A higher incidence (11 per cent) of abnormal foetuses than in the controls is also recorded in the following group: women who had eailier suffered from rubella, had been exposed to infection by the virus during the first 4 months of pregnaiicy, and had not contracted rubella on this occasion. Woman who had not had rubella earlier and who were known to have been in contact with rubella during their pregnancy but did not contract the disease show a slightly higher incidence (approximately 7 per cent) of abnormal foetuses than the control series. This difference is not significant. After the 5th month of pregnancy, neither an attack of rubella nor exposure to the infection without contracting it is found to result in any significant difference as compared to the control series. The investigation is being continued, both with regard to the further development of the children and to the results of the administration of convalescent serum.