title: Global seroprevalence of rubella among pregnant and childbearing age women: a meta-analysis.
abstract: We conducted a meta-analysis of articles published between January 2000 and July 2016 with the aim of defining the proportion of rubella seronegative women of childbearing age (WCBA), providing the best information available on the seroprevalence of rubella in this population. We selected articles published in the time period between 2000 and 2016. The pooled prevalence of rubella seronegative women was calculated by a fixed effect model and a random effect model, according to the heterogeneity among studies. Studies were sub-grouped by population type (pregnant women and WCBA with no mention of ongoing pregnancy) and by geographic area [World Health Organization (WHO) region]. Sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the stability of results. We found important differences in rubella seronegativity prevalence estimates by WHO Region. About 88% of the studies conducted on pregnant women reported a seronegativity rate >5%. The pooled rubella seronegativity prevalence was 9.3%. When considering population groups, we obtained a seronegativity pooled estimate of 9.4% for pregnant women and of 9.5% for WCBA with no mention of ongoing pregnancy. This meta-analysis shows that the proportion of WCBA who are susceptible to rubella is still high. The figures are worrisome, taking into account that the WHO set at 5% the rubella susceptibility threshold for WCBA.
authors.affiliation: Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Multifactorial and Complex Diseases Research Area, Piazza S. Onofrio 4, Rome 00165, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pandolfi
authors.affiliation: Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Multifactorial and Complex Diseases Research Area, Piazza S. Onofrio 4, Rome 00165, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gesualdo
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bella
authors.affiliation: Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Multifactorial and Complex Diseases Research Area, Piazza S. Onofrio 4, Rome 00165, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Agricola
authors.affiliation: Alessandra Lisi International Centre on Birth Defects and Prematurity, Via Carlo Mirabello 14, Rome 00192, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mastroiacovo
authors.affiliation: Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Multifactorial and Complex Diseases Research Area, Piazza S. Onofrio 4, Rome 00165, Italy.
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Tozzi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012409:Rubella / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D055815:Young Adult