Measles exposure

[Apanicaday]

To put this into context, I have dreadful antenatal anxiety (am taking fluoxetine for it) and it mostly relates to the baby coming to harm, so I'm just trying to work out if I should be worried or not.

We met up with my friend and her little girl last Saturday. Thursday she came down with a high temp and rash, and now they think she has measles. I had a single measles jab as a child (was born in 1981) but my mum is fairly sure that I was only offered one of them, so I never had a second dose.

I've done some googling (stupidly) and am now crapping myself about the fact that I might not be fully immunised and therefore might catch it and the baby might be stillborn. Am I just being overly anxious, or do I need to tell someone so they can check my immunity etc? And if I do, who should I ask (why do these things always happen at the weekend?!).

If anyone could offer some calming words or sensible advice, I'd really appreciate it.

I don't know but I think in those days having 1 was normal. Maybe the actual jab was different then? Can you ring midwife or go to walk in gp centre for advice?

Go and talk to your HCP about post-exposure prophylaxis (gamma globulin injection) which can be given to pregnant women.

But you may well be immune anyhow.

Where are you? If in England or Scotland a suspected measles case will be lab confirmed fairl promptly (in Wales not all are). Will the girl be tested, and how long until results?

Am in England. The girl is being tested today afaik, so I'm not sure how long it will be until the results come through. Would I need to speak to the midwives or the OOH GP?

I don't know whether there is a time frame after which gamma globulin is ineffective. I think you need to talk this through with someone you know to be medically qualified, and think either MW or OOH GP should be able to do this. It all depends on which you can get at more conveniently.

Have spoken to the midwives, who have told me to contact the community midwives on Monday morning so that they can get the lab to check my immunity from my booking bloods. She said she thought it was fairly likely that I'm immune anyway.

Try not to worry too much, measles is contagious from 1-2 days before symptoms start so she was probably not contagious when you were with her. Good idea to get your immunity checked though

Was just about to say get MW to check for immunity on your booking bloods. I did this as my mum works in a nursery and a couple if the kids came down with rashes and I got I to a panic (I too suffer from prenatal anxiety and also OCD)

If it helps, I still have immunity from a jab I had in 1990 or thereabouts. I was an older child when I had it but its still over 20 years ago.

How far into your pregnancy are you? I'm not immune to measles and I have had a discussion about this with my obstetrician. If you're in your third trimester, the risk to the baby is lower than in the first trimester. I, too, would suggest asking your hospital to add measles immunity to your booking bloods.

Hunny I am 7 weeks preg my 3 boys came down with measles at the same time. I had to have a blood test to check my immunity and if it was low I could have immunoglobulin to protect the baby. If u are really worried get on to public health and they can help they were wonderful to me.
Hope this helps xxx