Rubella During Pregnancy as a Cause of Congenital Hearing Loss1

A survey for rubella antibody was made on sera from 128 infants aged 6 months to 5 years with moderate or severe congenital hearing loss. Using the rubella hemagglutination-inhibition test, 57 (45%) were found seropositive. A history of rubella during pregnancy was given by 67% of mothers whose children had rubella antibodies. Postnatal rubella infection appeared to be rate in the infants. The majority of children with rubella antibody were born 6–8 months after an epidemic peak of rubella. Two epidemic years within the study period may have led to some bias for rubella as an etiologic factor in congenital hearing loss.