How to Pronounce Congenital Rubella Syndrome

Say it like this: kon-JEN-ih-tal roo-BEL-ah SIN-drohm. Break it into three main parts: the first word sounds like "con-JEN-ih-tal," the second is "roo-BEL-ah," and the third is "SIN-drohm." The stress falls on the second syllable of the first word: JEN.

The stressed syllable is JEN in the word "congenital." Many people mistakenly stress the first syllable (CON), but the correct way is to say it with emphasis on the second syllable: con-JEN-ih-tal.

"Congenital" comes from Latin and means "present from birth." "Rubella" is the medical name for German measles and comes from a Latin word meaning "reddish" or "red." Together, they describe a condition that starts before a baby is born.

A syndrome is a group of signs or conditions that happen together and are recognized as a specific problem. In this case, it refers to a collection of birth-related issues that can occur as a result of one cause.

You could say "rubella birth defects" or "German measles birth syndrome" in everyday language. Both describe the same condition in simpler terms that are easier to understand.

The word breaks down like this: con-GEN-i-tal (four syllables total). The emphasis lands on the second syllable, GEN, which is why you hear con-JEN-ih-tal when it's spoken naturally.

The abbreviation is CRS, which stands for Congenital Rubella Syndrome. You would say it as "C-R-S" or simply "CRS" when speaking.

Other medical terms use "congenital" the same way—for example, "congenital heart disease" or "congenital cataracts." They all mean conditions that are present from birth, so the pronunciation and meaning of "congenital" stays the same in each one.