Pregnancy and Rubella

A woman who develops rubella (German Measles) during the first three months of pregnancy has a great as a fifty-fifty chance of having a baby with severe problems such as brain damage, blindness, deafness, or heart and circulatory system defects.

Prenatal rubella infection also can result in a child with delayed language or motor development and learning disabilities. The earlier in pregnancy the fetus is infected with rubella, the greater the risk of severe and multiple defects.

At your first prenatal visit, your blood probably was tested to find your level of immunity to rubella. If you have never had rubella and you are not immune, be extra careful not to be near anyone with an active case of the disease. Fortunately, as more and more preschool children are routinely immunized, the occurrence of rubella is becoming increasingly rare. Nevertheless, caution is in order. If you think you may have been exposed to rubella (or any other contagious disease), consult your prenatal caregiver without delay.