The Effect of Reduced Antibody Levels on Congenital Rubella Syndrome Severity in First Trimester Rubella Infection

Abstract

 Introduction: Lower levels of rubella virus antibody in early pregnancy could result in more severe Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) among infants born to infected mothers. Maternal age at infection and gestational age could also influence the severity of CRS outcomes, where higher maternal age and infection early in the first trimester might lead to worse outcomes.

Methods: The retrospective cross-sectional was carried out on 186 pregnant women attending the Antenatal clinics. Blood samples were collected and tested for RV-IgM and R-VIgG by using the ARCHITEC System Ci4100. The inclusion criteria were those women in their first trimester of pregnancy attending the Thiqar hospitals, while excluding women with a history of congenital abnormalities and rubella vaccination.  

Results: Advanced maternal age (39-49 years) was associated with a 30% increase in CRS severity, while infection during the first trimester (5-8 weeks) was linked to a 50% higher risk of severe CRS outcomes.

Conclusion: The study provides evidence on the importance of monitoring of rubella infection in pregnancy, knowledge of variable manifestations of CRS, and consideration of maternal age within clinical management to investigate its influence on adverse fetal outcomes. Further research is needed to explore the relationship between chronic diseases, antibody levels, and rubella infection severity during pregnancy