Prevalence of rubella antibody in pregnant women in Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: There is a dearth of information on the incidence and prevalence of rubella infection in Nigeria. The risk of congenital rubella in sero-negative pregnant women has been found to produce congenital abnormalities even in developed countries.

Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of rubella virus antibody in pregnant women.

Setting: The place of study is the antenatal care clinic of Adeoyo State Hospital, Ibadan.

Design: This is a cross-sectional study of primigravida women attending the antenatal care facilities in a general hospital The rubella IgG antibody of the women was detected in sera using the RUB IgG Test kit. This is a quantitative ELISA technique.

Result: The prevalence of rubella antibody in 159 pregnant women that participated in this study was 68.5% with a confidence interval of 64.8% - 72.2%. Women living in rural -urban areas have statistically significant higher prevalence of antibody than those in urban areas.

Conclusion: This prevalence of rubella antibody in pregnant women suggests 1 in 4 pregnant woman is susceptible and the foetus at risk of congenital rubella malformation.