MMR vaccination - very worried

[SarahJane321]

My daughter has recently had the one year vaccinations including MMR. I am currently 24 weeks pregnant and am so worried I have put my unborn baby at risk. The MMR vaccine is live, and I am so worried in case I get it off her, and then infect my baby. I do not know if I had the vaccination when younger (as my mum didn't let me have all of them, but not sure which ones). I am really worried in case I catch it as I am not immune. I have read you shouldn't have the mmr vaccination when pregnant as it is live. Any advice or reassurance would be appreciated. Thank you.

[Phillymouse]

You can't catch it from her, the advice is probably for you not to have it whilst you are pregnant

[SarahJane321]

Is it not possible for the virus to spread to me if it is in her saliva etc? So worried :(

[Nestofvipers]

Is it not possible for the virus to spread to me if it is in her saliva etc?
No it isn’t. Neither your daughter, you nor anyone else can get any of MMR from the vaccine.

[LookAtTheCahhOlivahhhhh]

Honestly, the only reason they don't offer the MMR jab to pregnant women is that it's unethical to test medicines on pregnant women now.
I had my MMR as an adult and was unknowingly pregnant, my child is fine. The risks of you even catching it are tiny but if it makes you feel better then don't let your child lick you for a while(!)
And ask your GP to check your medical records once you've had your baby, if they haven't got a record of the MMR then they should offer it to you.

[sahbear]

But given your concern, you should find out what you haven't been vaccinated against and sort it as soon as safely possible.

[Seeline]

I'm sure it can't be an issue. Loads of mums are likely to be pregnant again by the time their first DC has the MMR so it would be a standard question asked at the time it is given. Just like when an X ray is given - even when it was one of my DC being x-rayed, I was always asked if there was a chance I could be pg before being allowed in with them.

[Monstamio]

You're daughter can't infect you. In fact, you would have been putting yourself at far greater risk by leaving her unvaccinated whilst you are pregnant - rubella can be deadly.

Just be warned that about 6-10 days after the vaccination she might develop a rash, fever etc. This is completely normal and is not measles etc. She won't be infectious. You can treat with Calpol etc.

[Baaaahhhhh]

Is it still standard to get a blood test for Rubella immunity when you are pregnant? I had one, but that was a few years ago. Have you had any blood tests yet OP? If not, and if you are worried, request one.

[thelonelymoatedgrange]

It isn’t, baaaah, and I do think it is remiss. Many women know to take folic acid when TTC but not to test rubella immunity. Luckily I am old so had mine as a teen.

[Topseyt]

No problem at all.

If children who have just had the MMR were able to infect their parents then there would have been a huge number of infected parents who got it that way over the years. That simply hasn't happened at all.

Talk to your midwife and GP if worried. Also, perhaps arrange to have the vaccine yourself after the baby has arrived?

From your comments about your mother possibly not having had you vaccinated with MMR, I am guessing that you might have been growing up during the now well discredited Andrew Wakefield saga? That scared a lot of parents away from the MMR vaccine at the time.

[Baaaahhhhh]

thelonelymoatedgrange Gosh, I agree, that is really remiss, especially as Topseyt points out, many women now having babies may have missed out on the MMR due to Wakefield.

I must admit, I am very disappointed kids are vaccinated against things like TB anymore either. I know they have other vaccines, which we oldies didn't, but being pro-vaccine, I would like my DC's to have had that too. My Dad who would be in his 90's now, was a public health inspector, and was old enough to remember Polio, Diptheria and others, he was, for obvious reasons,, very hot on getting us all vaccinated.

[Baaaahhhhh]

aren't

[SarahJane321]

@Topseyt I am not sure which vaccinations I had, but I know I didn't have them all as my mum worried a lot. I think there was one that all my friends had except me due to fears of autism. I can't ask her which ones I had as she passed away when I was 10.
Thank you all, I guess you are right @monstamio as she is starting nursery soon so would be at risk of actually getting one of the diseases.
So annoyed with myself that I didn't know to check :(

[thelonelymoatedgrange]

Well, I don’t think it’s so much to do with Wakefield - rather that immunity can wear off if you have it as a baby. It’s less likely to if you have it as a teen, as I did.