to ask why I would be vaccinated for measles, but not rubella?

[fadedout]

Born in April 1986.

I've just had to cancel the first month of fertility treatment because I don't have immunity for Rubella. Check with the doctor and I have never received the vaccine.

Why would this be? For my age I should have received at least measles and rubella. MMR wasn't brought in until 1990 I believe.

Anyone have any knowledge on this?

It was rolled out in school. Could you have been off school that day?

Rubella used to be given about age 12 to girls when it was on its own.

Maybe there was some sort of catch-up scheme when MMR came out and you missed out?

Oh weird. I was about to write that it can wear off (not a technical term). I've had the rubella vaccine three times in my life but am still not immune. I'm doing ivf and am not having the vaccine again. Rubella is incredibly rare in this country. Weird that you've just never been vaccinated for it. Maybe it was just the year you were born or your parents decided to just go the MM part and planned to the R later. I'm rambling!

Is your mum still alive? She might remember.

I just don't know why my parents and/or doctor etc didn't sort this when I was younger and now I'm having to deal with it.

It's heartbreaking to cancel fertility treatment!

Rubella was stand alone and done in school. Maybe you were absent

So if I was absent from school, why was it not followed up on?

Is it your clinic insisting? Mine has been fine, but maybe that's because they know I was vaccinated in 2016 so maybe they've just accepted there's not much point for me. I'm with a private clinic, the nhs may have stricter criteria.

So if I was absent from school, why was it not followed up on?

I'm older than you, but I think that in the 1970s/80s it was given to children not babies, so I was vaccinated at school. Maybe measles was given when you were a baby, and you missed the rubella one?

My clinic is insisting (private with CRGH)

Oops sorry, people typing while I was thinking!

Although given your age MMR would have been available. They used to just give 1 injection and it was only later on they introduced the 2nd dose to increase coverage

Sorry about your fertility treatment by the way. They really should have asked about the rubella a lot sooner - not cancel it just when they're about to start. How long will you have to wait now?

Rubella was given in first year of secondary school as standard - i had it in 1977.

Ok, so I probably did miss out at school, but no one bothered to make sure i got it another time.

So cross!

Anyway. I'm booked in for it now.

@fadedout oh that's so frustrating. I'd be really upset too. My treatment was cancelled part way through when lockdown stated and I was an absolute mess about it. Get the vaccine booked in and try not to dwell.

It would have been your parents job to follow it up if they missed it in school.

The clinic tested me for rubella at the earliest opportunity, it's the first month, so it's not their fault at all. At least we'll be really ready for next month.

Just upsetting when something is booked etc

I've had to have the rubella vaccine redone a few times as I don't seem to retain the immunity so it may not be that you didn't have it as a child. I was born 87 so a similar age and likely similar childhood vaccine program.

Because in my experience they don't follow up on it; it's not mandatory and never has been. There was a weird crossover for the 1985/86/87ish cohort because I think we were the last lot of the individual immunisations but then SOME had the MMR instead. I had the MMR when they were giving it to my younger sister, I believe (she's 1989) but I could well imagine that people got missed one way or the other.

I was also born in 1986. I think I had the MMR before I started school. I didn’t have the booster when I was about 7/8 due to the autism nonsense in the news at the time (this was offered at school). I then had it as an adult, mostly to protect my child who was too young to have it. Definitely a good idea to get it before you get pregnant, I didn’t realise I hadn’t had it until after she was born.

I didn't have rubella. The form asked me if I was allergic to rabbits and I was so didn't have it. They tested me for immunity when I got pregnant and I had antibodies from when I had German measles as a child.

The Dr said they'd never heard of rabiit allergy being a reason not to have it but that was definitely the reason. Something to do with how vaccine was made.

@seven201 god you must have been so upset! We had some delays with testing etc through the pandemic and that was bad enough

I was born 1990 also during early pregnancy tested and was not immune to rubella, but I did have the MMR! GP said immunity might have just worn off or vaccine failed 🤷🏻‍♀️

It is very frustrating, but it is worth getting the vaccination.