Gammaglobulin As Prophylaxis Against Rubella-Induced Congenital Anomalies

Low and high titered lots of gammaglobulin were tested for their value in preventing maternal and congenital rubella during the first 8 weeks of pregnancy. A total of 83 women who were exposed to rubella were each given 20 ml of gammaglobulin. No patient developed clinical rubella, 5 had seroconversions and none had infants with congenital rubella. Among 949 other pregnant women, 34.2% were susceptible, 6.7% had seroconversions and 1% had clinical rubella. Because of the low rates of rubella, there was no clear evidence that the incidence of maternal or congenital rubella was reduced by the use of gammaglobulin.