Pre pregnancy blood test?

[sazmaz83]

I read today about a pre pregnancy blood test that tells you whether you're still immune to rubella (assuming most people have had the MMR jab at some point).

It's not something I've come across before when reading about conception or through talking to friends with babies / who are currently pregnant.

I just wondered if anyone had heard of this before? Obviously I know it can't do any harm to have a test but just curious, as I'd not heard of it.

We are trying to conceive at the moment.

Thanks
Sarah

It's usually thrown in with fertility blood tests if you need them. If you get pregnant without needing to go down that route, I don't think it's common to have it. I can see that some folks might want to if they work with children or something. But you will have to put off ttc for 2-3 months if you need to have the vaccine.

I had it. My GP surgery had posters up encouraging women thinking of TTC to see their doctor, so I did, and she said I should have this. (Am too old to have had MMR, but was vaccinated against rubella at some point as a child).

Now 9 weeks pregnant and have just had first blood tests - including a repeat of the rubella test! - they do it as standard.

Thanks guys, I had the MMR about 17 years ago at school (the booster, had the first one when I was much younger). I don't work with children and like you say, they monitor it as standard during pregnancy. Just panicking but want to make sure I'm doing the right thing.

I booked an appointment to check everything was ok before TTC as I'd read you were supposed to - the nurse looked at me like I was crazy when I told her what I was there for!

I was expecting a blood test but I was out of there in less than two minutes :)

I asked my GP about it, since I have only had one MMR jab. The GP just said to get another one. No test needed. I think if you've had two you're ok.

Oh, but you can't have MMR jab when you're pregnant I think. I also had to wait a month after before TTC. So best doing it before.

I spoke to my gp this morning and he basically said that if you've had the MMR and the booster (which I have) then there is no need for a blood test as the jab gives you immunity, they would only test if you developed any actual symptoms (and its so rare, only 2 cases in the whole of uk in 2012). They also test for rubella as standard during pregnancy as part of routine blood tests