Congenital rubella in the United Kingdom before 1970: the prevaccine era.

Congenital rubella in England and Wales before the introduction of rubella vaccine is described. Data are derived from selected hospital studies of children with congenital rubella and on prospective follow-up studies of women infected with rubella during pregnancy. Estimates based on epidemiologic studies suggest that rubella accounted for 15% of the cases of sensorineural deafness in children and for 2% of congenital heart defects. From this information it can be calculated that in England and Wales 200-300 babies would have been born with serious defects due to congenital rubella infection each year, in the absence of an epidemic, if rubella vaccination had not been introduced. The importance of continued surveillance of congenital rubella defects and terminations of pregnancy because of rubella infection is stressed.