Mrs. Preston has contracted Rubella during her pregnancy. She is concerned about giving birth to a child with intellectual disability. Her child is most likely to have an intellectual disability if she contracted the disease during the ____ week of the pregnancy.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The second week of pregnancy is a critical time for the development of the brain. If rubella is contracted during this time, it can cause severe intellectual disability, as well as other birth defects such as deafness, cataracts, and heart defects. Rubella contracted later in pregnancy (20th or 40th week) is less likely to cause intellectual disability but can still cause other birth defects. The eighth week is also a critical time for fetal development, but rubella contracted during this time is more likely to cause physical birth defects rather than intellectual disability.

Mrs Preston Has Contracted Rubella During Her Pregnancy