AJPH
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

American Journal of Public Health, Vol. 74, Issue 11 1249-1251, Copyright © 1984 by American Public Health Association

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Purchase Article
Right arrow View Shopping Cart
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Serdula, M K
Right arrow Articles by Bomgaars, M R
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Serdula, M K
Right arrow Articles by Bomgaars, M R
Therapeutic abortions following rubella infection in pregnancy: the potential impact on the incidence of congenital rubella syndrome.

M K Serdula, J S Marks, K L Herrmann, W A Orenstein, A D Hall and M R Bomgaars

In 1977, a large rubella outbreak occurred in Hawaii. Because attack rates were high among women of childbearing age, we conducted extensive surveillance efforts to detect both pregnancies complicated by rubella and cases of congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). Initial surveillance included a survey of physicians and hospitals, review of fetal death and birth certificates, and cord blood screening for rubella-specific IgM of infants born following the epidemic. Two years after the outbreak, the medical community was again surveyed to identify affected children who were missed initially. No case of CRS was identified either shortly after the outbreak or in the ensuing two years. In addition, none of the 5,605 cord serum samples obtained was found to contain rubella-specific IgM antibody. Through active surveillance, we received 12 reports of rubella in pregnant women, of whom 11 elected to terminate their pregnancies. The extensive use of therapeutic abortion by exposed women may have prevented the birth of infants with CRS. Surveillance for rubella-related abortions is an important component in assessing the health impact of rubella in a community.






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1984 by the American Public Health Association