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Original poster

Rubella immunity

46 replies

Kwini · 02/05/2010 15:34

Hi there,

DP and I are planning to start TTC in three months. I received the measles, mumps and rubella vaccination in 1996, when I was 14 (no idea why, but the health records are definitely there - it may have been because I was travelling that year). Does this mean that I should still be tested for rubella before TTC this year?

I did ask my doctor a whiel ago then if there were any health checks I needed in advance of TTC, and she only really stressed the need for folic acid - no mention of vaccines, etc. But I see that the NHS and other sites recommend that women planning to TTC should be tested for rubella as a matter of course...

I'll definitely ask my doctor this week, regardless, but would be interested to hear MNers thoughts in the meanime.

Thanks in advance!

OP posts:
Trafficcone · 02/05/2010 15:37

You'll almost certainly be immune. You had the jabs as everyone does at school age14.

mamaof1wantno2now · 02/05/2010 15:39

are you in the uk kwini?

Trafficcone · 02/05/2010 15:44

Well she's using the NHS websites so I'd presume so, but I could be wrong!

Original poster
Kwini · 02/05/2010 16:07

Yes, I'm in the UK now - but was in North America when I had the jab at 14.

(apologies for typos in previous post...)

OP posts:
Original poster
Kwini · 02/05/2010 16:08

I'm assuming that I'm probably still immune, and as I'm terrified of blood tests I'm not exactly keen to ask for one if I don't need it - but I know I'd never forgive myself if I contracted rubella in pregnancy and there were negative effects...

OP posts:
Original poster
Kwini · 02/05/2010 17:01

No other opinions?..

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catinthehat2 · 02/05/2010 17:23

I cannot tell you how awful I felt when a colleague got rubella.

I had a nasty 5 minutes of real fear on the end of a phone, until my DRs receptionist looked up my details and confirmed I was immune from my blood test details.

Do not skip this one.

purepurple · 02/05/2010 17:31

I had to have another rubella injection after I had DS, even though I had had the jab at school. Doc said I had low immunity, after having a blood test during pregnancy.
An injection does not always give you full immunity.

thumbwitch · 02/05/2010 17:35

There is no guarantee of immunity. When I started work in a hospital, I had to have my rubella antibodies tested - if they had been low, I would have been given a booster (had my rubella done at 14, same as every other girl in the UK).
My levels were fine but one of my friends had low levels of antibody and she had a booster.

If it is something that concerns you particularly, get it tested - but whether you can have it on the NHS or not I don't know, unless you are already pg and in contact with a case of german measles.

Tyson86 · 02/05/2010 17:37

Im immune but you will find the blood tests are done with the needle going in once and a few bottles, it doesnt matter how many bottles as you have had the worst bit already by then, being the needle. I was giving one for HIV which i knew i didnt need but mw did all of them, even ones i couldnt contract etc.

mears · 02/05/2010 17:37

It would be sensible to get immunity checked and yes, that can be done on the NHS.

Original poster
Kwini · 02/05/2010 17:50

Thanks for those responses.

Do you suppose it's possible to bypass the blood test and ask for a booster, to be absolutely sure?

OP posts:
Havingkittens · 02/05/2010 17:54

I had the jab at school but fount out I was no longer immune when I started ttc. I had my jab done again on the NHS a couple of years ago. I can't remember exactly but I think you can get MMR free but have to pay I'd you only want German Measles alone.

Definitely worth getting tested asap as you will have to wait 3 months after the jab to have another blood test to confirm you are definitely immune as sometimes, even after the jab, there's no guarantee of immunnity.

thumbwitch · 02/05/2010 18:09

you could do that, Kwini - but why would you want to bung a load of vaccine into yourself if you're already immune to it? I'm not saying you would but you could have an unpleasant reaction.

FWIW - I refused to have HepB boosters without having my antibody levels checked - as they had always been >100 units and therefore excellent. I didn't want to provoke the antibodies by having another HepB booster when I didn't need it!

Takver · 02/05/2010 18:20

I hate to say this, but IIRC there are an awful lot of blood tests when you are pregnant, I don't suppose one more will make much difference, & it might be a really sensible thing to have done.

I was also very grateful that when I was pg in Spain they did a routine blood test for immunity to toxoplasmosis, so I didn't have to worry about that once confirmed as immune (don't think that is tested for in the UK?)

Original poster
Kwini · 02/05/2010 18:30

Yes, I know you're right, Takver!

Do you really have to wait three months after the jab? I thought it was one...?

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uglymugly · 02/05/2010 18:45

I'm so glad the effectiveness or otherwise of the rubella vaccine has been raised. I hadn't wanted to mention my problems prior to now because things might have changed since I had my rubella vaccines (as an adult) some 30 years ago.

I've had three rubella jabs (one after my first DC was born, and two during the months after my second DC was born). The doctor I saw with the blood-test results after my third jab said that although the results did show some immunity the figure was so low it was barely measurable, and either I could go on having jabs in the hope of boosting my immunity sufficiently or just be very careful if I got pregnant again. We decided not to have any more children, but of course I could still catch it and pass it on.

I can to some extent understand the authorities not wishing it be known that the rubella vaccine doesn't always work, because that could lead to a reduction in uptake of the vaccine. But I wonder if there has ever been any good research into the failure rates.

I would strongly recommend the blood test, kwini, even though it'll be a really horrible experience for you, because that's the way to get the assurance you want.

mamaof1wantno2now · 02/05/2010 20:54

hi i had 2 ask if u were in the uk as i am unaware of how they do it in any other country,
when your pregnant they do routine bloods & one of them is to test for your immunity to rubella, I'm now 29 & my test showed i'm still immune from having mine done when i was at school, but I would ask your doctor for a blood test just to check i know u don't like blood tests but its better to be safe, good luck with everything anyway

bruffin · 02/05/2010 21:12

I was definitely tested during my pregnancy. I did not have the rubella vaccine when I was 14 because I had rubella 2 weeks before, caught it off my mother!
My blood test showed I was immune.

uglymugly · 02/05/2010 21:59

I just want to add something, because this has brought back bad memories.

Firstly, there was a family gathering when both I and a cousin were in our first trimester - me with my second, her with her first. Another cousin's children had gone down with german measles and that cousin phoned me because of her concerns about bringing her children to that family gathering. Blithely, I said I'd had the jab after my first was born so of course I was immune. But because there was a concern about the other (first pregnancy) cousin's immunity, the infected children stayed at home. In reality, the pregnant cousin could have been naturally immune, whereas it turned out I wasn't.

Secondly, when I was tested for rubella immunity in my second pregnancy and it came back as negative, I said to my GP and midwife that I had been given the vaccine after my first was born, only to be laughed at and told I must have been mistaken. My second was born almost three years to the day after my first, so they should have been aware of the testing and vaccination policy during that short period of time - maybe they were ignorant of the possibility of failure of the vaccine, or maybe they just regarded pregnant women as being clueless.

Put those two scenarios together and I could possibly have ended up with a rubella damaged child because no-one told any of us women (and maybe didn't tell GPs and midwives) that there was a potential problem with the rubella vaccine.

To this day, I still can feel angry that I was led astray by my vaccination after my DC1 was born and I could have unknowingly put my DC2 at risk.

If anyone's still reading, perhaps you can understand why I didn't want to raise this issue in case I was scaremonging. I really hope GPs and midwives are much more informed than they were 30 years ago.

mears · 02/05/2010 22:09

As with any vaccine, women can be non-responders. Uglymugly, I have seen a few women being repeatedly rubella susceptible despite having repeated vaccinations. Vaccination may not mean lfe long immunity wheras, in the past, getting the disease did usually mean you did have life long immunity. There have been concerns voiced that teenage girls who have been vaccinated and never had the disease may not actually have lifelong immunity, so it isn't a bad thing to check out if possible.

decafgirl · 02/05/2010 22:43

Just wanted to add another voice saying have the blood test. I'd certainly rather have a blood test and check than assume all is well and potentially be at risk IYSWIM.

Hope it helps xx

PS) they will be taking blood frequently during pregnancy so treat it as a practise go - maybe you'll get used to it?!

Lionstar · 02/05/2010 22:51

When I went to the GP to tell him we had decided to TTC he requested a Rubella test, recommended Folic Acid and patted me on the head (metaphorically speaking) . More fool me I even made an appointment with him a month or two later to say we had a positive test - the head pat was barely metaphorical that time

Definately go with the test.

Original poster
Kwini · 02/05/2010 23:39

"they will be taking blood frequently during pregnancy so treat it as a practise go - maybe you'll get used to it?!"

That's what I'm trying to tell myself!

Thanks so much for your input, all - I don't think I'd have given this one a second thought without people to give me a good shake...

OP posts:
Original poster
Kwini · 02/05/2010 23:40

Though it does beg the question - why didn't my doc mention this when I asked her if there was anything we should discuss or plan before TTC?..

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