Symptomatic rubella re-infection in early pregnancy and subsequent delivery of an infected but minimally involved infant. A case report.

A case of serologically proven symptomatic rubella re-infection in early pregnancy in a healthy multigravida who had been successfully vaccinated is reported to illustrate that the risk to the fetus is considerably less than with primary infection. The infant was infected, as evidenced by specific IgM in cord blood, but had no stigmata of congenital rubella at birth. Growth retardation was apparent at 6 months and hearing loss, not necessarily due to rubella, was detected at 8 months. Rubella re-infection, which may now be distinguished serologically by the urea degradation test from primary rubella, need not necessarily be an indication for termination of pregnancy.