Epidemiology of congenital rubella syndrome. The role of maternal parity

S. C. Schoenbaum, S. Biano and T. Mack

Rubella vaccination policies are primarily directed at control of congenital rubella syndrome. In the United States, vaccination of children of both sexes, ages 1 theough 12 years, has been recommended. This policy depends on the hypothesis that children are the major source of infection for pregnant women. If true, then as maternal parity increases one would expect an increasing prevalence of rubella antibody or an increase in the frequence of rubella syndrome in babies. A serologic survey of 3,081 pregnant women has failed to show an increase in prevalence of rubella antibody with increasing parity. Case-control studies comparing groups of children with rubella syndrome to birth certificate and hospital control groups also have failed to show an excess of multiparae among the mothers of babies with rubella syndrome. Thus, these results do not support the hypothesis that children are the major source of infection for pregnant women.