The Burden of Likely Rubella Infection among Healthy Pregnant Women in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Abstract

+e first 140 days of pregnancy are critical as regards rubella virus infection because of the likelihood of a poor pregnancy outcome.+is study was undertaken to investigate the likelihood of exposure to poor pregnancy outcomes due to seroprevalence of rubellaamong selected pregnant women attending Mile Four Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. +e seroprevalence of rubella immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies was investigated among pregnant women. A total of 187 sera samples collected from the women were screened for rubella virus I gM antibody using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). +e results obtained were analyzed using SPSS. +e chi square test was performed at a P value of 0.05 significance and at a 95% confidence interval. Of the 187 pregnant women, 35 (18.72%) were positive for the rubella virus. Pregnant women within 26–30 years of age had the highest prevalence (26.15%), while those aged 35–40 years had the least prevalence. Married women had the highest prevalence (20.0%), followed by singles (16.67%) and widows (15.38%), while divorced pregnant women recorded the least prevalence (9.20%). Pregnant women with no formal education were more predisposed to rubella virus (22.22%) infection compared to their educated counterparts. Occupationally, full-time housewives had the highest prevalence (24.26%). +e infection rates seemed to wane as pregnancyadvanced. +e first trimester had the highest prevalence (21.88%), followed by the second trimester (18.84%) and the third trimester (17.44%). Pregnant women living in urban areas had higher IgM seroprevalence (20.18%) than those in rural areas (16.67%). Furthermore, grand multigravidas were more infected (22.73%) than primigravidas (14.52%) and multigravidas (20.39%). +e seroprevalence of rubella in this study was high, and it calls for general surveillance and mass immunization of children and femalesof childbearing age in the area to help reduce the incidence of congenital rubella syndrome.