Step 1: Congenital rubella syndrome results from maternal rubella infection in early pregnancy and has a classic triad of sensorineural deafness, eye defects (cataract, retinopathy, microphthalmia) and congenital heart disease.
Step 2: The cardiovascular lesions most characteristic of rubella are pulmonary artery stenosis (including peripheral pulmonary stenosis) and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). Among the options given, pulmonary artery stenosis (a) is the answer.
Step 3: Coarctation of the aorta (b) is not the classic rubella lesion. Ankylosing spondylitis (c) is a spondyloarthropathy, not a congenital heart defect at all, and rheumatic fever (d) is an acquired post-streptococcal disease, unrelated to congenital rubella.
Step 4: Hence pulmonary artery stenosis is the most characteristic cardiovascular defect, making option a correct.