Congenital rubella syndrome includes which of the following findings?

• A. Hearing loss and cardiac defects
• B. Hepatosplenomegaly and microcephaly
• C. Cleft palate and polydactyly
• D. Scoliosis and clubfoot

Answer: (A)

Congenital rubella syndrome arises when a pregnant person is infected with rubella early in gestation, and the virus disrupts fetal development of the inner ear and the heart. The most characteristic outcomes are sensorineural hearing loss and congenital heart defects, especially a patent ductus arteriosus. This pairing is the best match for rubella’s impact on fetal development, so hearing loss with a cardiac defect is the correct combination. Other findings listed are not the classic rubella pattern—hepatosplenomegaly and microcephaly align more with other infections like CMV, while cleft palate with polydactyly or scoliosis with clubfoot are not typical rubella-associated features.