Thelma and Louise are best friends. Thelma contracts rubella, and Louise catches it from her. At the time they have the disease, Thelma is seven weeks pregnant and Louise is seven months pregnant. What is the most likely outcome?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Rubella during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy can cause serious birth defects, while rubella after that time is unlikely to pose a risk to the developing fetus. Since Thelma is only seven weeks pregnant, her unborn child is at risk for birth defects resulting from rubella. However, Louise is seven months (or more than 28 weeks) pregnant, so her unborn child is unlikely to be affected by the rubella. Therefore, the most likely outcome is that Louise's child will be born unharmed, but Thelma's child will have some sort of birth defect resulting from rubella.

Thelma and Louise Are Best Friends