What birth defects does rubella cause?

The most common birth defects from CRS can include:

• Deafness.
• Cataracts.
• Heart defects.
• Intellectual disabilities.
• Liver and spleen damage.
• Low birth weight.
• Skin rash at birth.

Is rubella a birth defect?

Serious birth defects are more common if a woman is infected early in her pregnancy, especially in the first trimester. These severe birth defects are known as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). See Pregnancy and Rubella page to learn more.

Does rubella cause congenital malformations?

Rubella is a contagious viral infection that occurs most often in children and young adults. Rubella is the leading vaccine-preventable cause of birth defects. Rubella infection in pregnant women may cause fetal death or congenital defects known as congenital rubella syndrome.

How does rubella affect the development of a baby?

Rubella caught in the first ten weeks of pregnancy causes damage to nine out of ten unborn babies. The mother passes the virus on to her unborn baby and it damages the organs as they develop, particularly the developing eyes, ears, heart and brain – often in combination.

Can rubella cause permanent damage?

Complications include deafness, cataracts, heart defects, brain disorders, mental retardation, bone alterations, liver and spleen damage. Furthermore, an infant infected with rubella during pregnancy can continue to shed the virus for about a year, sometimes longer.

What is the most serious complication of rubella?

Complications of Rubella The most serious of these could happen during pregnancy, when the virus can pass from mother to baby in the womb. The risk is highest during the first 3 months of pregnancy. Babies who are infected can have serious birth defects called congenital rubella syndrome (CRS).

What are the long term side effects of rubella?

Congenital rubella syndrome can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, and birth defects that include cataracts, deafness, mental retardation, and cardiac anomalies.

What is the most common congenital defect of congenital rubella syndrome?

[1–3] Common congenital defects of CRS include cataracts, congenital heart disease, hearing impairment, and developmental delay. Infants with CRS often present with more than one of these signs but may also present with a single defect, most commonly hearing impairment.

Can a baby survive rubella?

Because congenital rubella syndrome is a viral infection, there is no cure. If your baby is born with congenital rubella syndrome, specific symptoms of the disease can be treated accordingly. Because there is no cure for congenital rubella syndrome, the best treatment is prevention.

Can rubella cause infertility?

Symptoms are swollen saliva-producing glands in the neck, fever, headache, and muscle aches. A feared complication is that it can affect the testicles in males and cause sterility. It can also cause other serious complications. Rubella (German measles).

What organs are affected by rubella?

Babies born with congenital rubella syndrome are at risk for serious problems with their growth, thinking, heart and eyes, hearing, and liver, spleen, and bone marrow.

Does rubella cause microcephaly?

If a pregnant woman has rubella, also known as German measles, it can cause congenital microcephaly in the developing child alongside other symptoms such as eye, hearing, and heart issues.

When is a pregnant woman at risk for developing congenital rubella syndrome?

A fetus infected early in the pregnancy (especially during the first trimester) has a high probability of developing CRS. In symptomatic women infected with rubella during the first 12 weeks (first trimester) of pregnancy, CRS-associated congenital defects occur in up to 85% of infants.

Is congenital rubella curable?

Why is rubella important in pregnancy?

Rubella can be serious for the baby, especially during the first 3 months. Having rubella during pregnancy increases the risk of: Congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) – This is a condition that happens when a pregnant person passes rubella to their baby during pregnancy.

What are the complications of rubella?

What is the most common single defect in congenital rubella syndrome?

Disease Description [1–3] Common congenital defects of CRS include cataracts, congenital heart disease, hearing impairment, and developmental delay. Infants with CRS often present with more than one of these signs but may also present with a single defect, most commonly hearing impairment.

How does rubella affect the brain?

The main defects caused by rubella infection are: sensorineural deafness, which can progress after birth; eye defects such as cataracts; cardiovascular defects; brain damage, that only occurs after infection between the 3rd and 16th week of gestation, causing mild to severe mental retardation with microcephaly and …

How common is rubella in pregnancy?

You’re more likely to pass rubella to your baby the earlier you become infected during pregnancy. For example: If you get rubella in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, your baby has an 8 to 9 in 10 chance (85 percent) of getting infected. This is a very high chance.

Why does rubella cause deafness?

CDC outlines that ear infections occur in about 1 in 10 measles cases and the consequences can for some be permanent hearing loss. Hearing problems occur because the nerves of the brain are damaged as a result of encephalitis – a condition in which swelling of the brain occurs. Measles can also lead to deafness.