Objective: To review the epidemiology, natural history, evaluation, and prevention of rubella infection during pregnancy. This will aid obstetric care providers in counseling their patients regarding potentially devastating effects on the developing fetus and the importance of vaccinating susceptible women as appropriate.
Outcomes: Outcomes evaluated include fetal rubella infection, maternal seroconversion and response to rubella-containing vaccines.
Evidence: Medline, PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched for articles in English on subjects related to rubella infection during pregnancy betweenn 1985 and 2017. Results were restricted to systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials/controlled clinical trials, and observational studies. Other (unpublished) literature was identified through searching the websites of health technology assessment and health technology assessment-related agencies, clinical practice guideline collections, clinical trial registries, and national and international medical specialty societies.
Valuation methods: The quality of the evidence is rated using the criteria described in the Report of the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care (Table 1). Recommendations for practice are ranked according to the method described in this Report.
Guideline update: The guideline will be reviewed 5 years after publication to decide if an update is required. However, if important new evidence is published prior to the 5-year cycle, the review process may be accelerated for a more rapid update of some recommendations SPONSOR: Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada.
Keywords: Rubella; congenital rubella syndrome; immunization; pregnancy.
Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.