TITLE:
Rubella Infection and Maternal Immunity in Pregnant Women in Urban Areas of the Congo
AUTHORS:
Roch Bredin Bissala Nkounkou, Paola Candyse Tsimba Lemba, Raphaëlle Francia Moyen, Dorcas Mouyama, Esther Nina Ontsira Ngoyi, Luc Magloire Anicet Boumba, Gickelle Bintsene-Mpicka, Henri Essome, Carole Else Eboumbou Moukoko
KEYWORDS:
Rubella Infection, Maternal Immunity, Pregnant Women, Congo
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Reproductive Sciences,
Vol.14 No.4,
November
5,
2026
ABSTRACT: This cross-sectional study investigated the presence of anti-rubella IgG and IgM antibodies in 124 pregnant women receiving prenatal care in Brazzaville. It reports positivity rates of 76.61% for IgG and 1.61% for IgM, yet interprets these results as evidence of a broader scope of infection than the test results alone suggest. Samples were analyzed using rapid diagnostic tests, and positive cases were confirmed via indirect ELISA. The mean age of the participants was 28 ± 5.96 years. None of the women had previously been vaccinated against rubella. The overall prevalence of rubella was estimated at 78.22%, comprising 76.61% (IgG) and 1.61% (IgM). Gestational age (specifically the first trimester) was associated with the presence of the virus; women in the first trimester faced a higher risk of contracting rubella than those in the second trimester (OR = 0.35; CI: 0.13 - 0.91; p = 0.028) or the third trimester (OR = 0.22; CI: 0.05 - 0.87; p = 0.023).