Question

Congenital rubella (German measles) syndrome results in abnormalities that vary, depending on the gestational age of the fetus when the maternal infection was contracted.

a) True
b) False

Answer 1

The congenital rubella syndrome indeed results in varying abnormalities based on the gestational age at which maternal infection occurs, rendering the statement true.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that congenital rubella syndrome results in abnormalities that vary, depending on the gestational age of the fetus when the maternal infection was contracted, is true. The rubella virus is teratogenic, which means it can cause developmental defects in a fetus if it crosses the placenta. A high risk of stillbirth, spontaneous abortion, or congenital birth defects exists if infection occurs before the 11th week of pregnancy. Moreover, there is a 35% risk of defects if the mother is infected between weeks 13 and 16; after this period, the risk is considerably lower. Therefore, prenatal screening for rubella is a common practice, especially as part of TORCH testing.