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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Few confirmed cases of measles in my office building - wwyd?

21 replies

Kittypillar · 04/04/2018 13:42

Three confirmed cases of measles in the company above us. Not the company I work for but we share lifts, stairs, toilets and other communal areas. Pretty certain I've had the MMR vaccine as a child but not had my immunity tested. I'm 34 weeks pregnant.

DH currently very grumpy with me for not leaving immediately and asking me to come home and work remotely. Can't get hold of my midwife to ask for her guidance. What would you all do in this situation? I don't want to make an unnecessary faff about it but my DH thinks I'm being ridiculous for not just coming home right away.

OP posts:

DailyMailDontStealMyThread · 04/04/2018 13:44

I’d speak to my manager and ask if they could speak with the H&S officer for guidance.

Is working from home an option?

reachforthewine · 04/04/2018 13:46

Go home until you get advice from your midwife.

Original poster

Kittypillar · 04/04/2018 13:46

@DailyMailDontStealMyThread definitely can do, always a bit of an awkward one with my company though. For some reason it's usually treated as a favour rather than an available option, IYSWIM?

OP posts:

DailyMailDontStealMyThread · 04/04/2018 14:19

In that case I would be going home. Speak to your manager about your concern, tell them you need to speak to your midwife for further advice but till then you would feel safer working from home.

Not worth the risk imo. Could you call your gp or local maternity unit?

Sushirolls · 04/04/2018 14:21

I would also request to work from home x It may be that HR would prefer that anyway, to cover their backs.

I hope you manage to speak with your mw soon x

Babdoc · 04/04/2018 14:34

Your previous MMR vaccine does not guarantee 100% immunity - it’s about 85% effective. If you contract measles while pregnant you are at increased risk of developing measles pneumonia, as your immunity is depressed to stop you rejecting the fetus. There is also a risk of preterm labour, and you can transmit the measles virus to your newborn, with serious results.
The only plus point is you are not in the first trimester, so there is no risk of congenital abnormalities, which is only about 8% with measles anyway (unlike German measles, which is a major problem).
I think you should at least discuss it with your GP and/or HR. If you’re in the lucky 85% whose MMR worked, you have nothing to worry about, but it’s your call whether you want to risk that.

NerNerNerNerBATMAN · 04/04/2018 15:01

Are you in the UK OP? If so, ring your local public health office. They would be able to advise if there were any actual cases of measles in your locality (very common for reports of measles to not be confirmed measles). They'll be able to advise you on the best course of action.

You need to get hold of your midwife, or someone from your local team, who will be able to check your book in bloods to assess your immunity. This takes them about 5 minutes and will hopefully put your mind at ease.

Original poster

Kittypillar · 04/04/2018 16:44

Thanks everyone, that's really helpful.

@NerNerNerNerBATMAN yeah I'm in the UK. It definitely is 3 confirmed cases so far, not sure if any others suspected.

Either way, took my laptop home to work remotely until I'd spoken to my midwife. She just referred me on to my GP, as apparently they don't do bloods for immunity to measles anymore. Waiting for a callback from my GP now to see if I need to get this done or not.

OP posts:

Pinkvoid · 04/04/2018 17:30

They test for immunity to rubella in your booking bloods which is included in the MMR so if you have immunity to that, you have immunity to measles. Having said that, I still wouldn’t risk it. Speak to your MW.

littleducks · 04/04/2018 17:36

My immunity was tested and I was immune to two parts of the MMR (mumps and rubella if i recall correctly) but not the other part

Original poster

Kittypillar · 04/04/2018 17:51

Not sure if it's just differences in areas of the country, but my midwife said that they don't test for immunity for measles or rubella in pregnancy anymore. Apparently they used to and it was standard test but not anymore. So I have no idea whether I am immune or not. And my GP doesn't seem to think testing my immunity is necessary.

DH still worried and insisting I work from home for the rest of the week. Don't want to piss off my manager though, or management at my company in general: I'm going on maternity leave from end of next week so feel like they might not be happy about it, especially if my doctor and midwife haven't recommended it :( urgh. Like I wasn't worried about being away from my job for so long as it is.

OP posts:

madvixen · 04/04/2018 17:59

Did you have a risk assessment done when you told them that you were pregnant?

Littlebelina · 04/04/2018 19:31

I had the measles and rubella jab separately and no mumps jab (yes I'm that old not avoiding the MMR) so doesn't necessarily follow that someone will be immune to all 3 if they are immune to one. Also possible that you have had one as an illness giving you immunity.

You are that close to maternity leave anyway op I might be tempted to work from home. You don't want to catch it and still have it when you give birth. Think incubation is 7-21 days

ItsLikeRainOnYourWeddingDay · 04/04/2018 19:35

Worried about pissing off your work, get a grip OP. Do you have any idea what could happen if you catch it.

sycamore54321 · 04/04/2018 19:43

I'm not normally of the "wrap pregnant ladies in cotton wool" persuasion but measles is different. It's insanely contagious, exposure almost invariably results in infection in any non-immune person. So I would stay away as far as possible. With regard to annoying work, it will be months before you come back to work after maternity leave so actually anyone feeling miffed is likely to have long forgotten it by the time you come back.

I would contact your manager as early as you can, say that you are happy to discuss with occupational health but until you are cleared by your own medical team, then you'd prefer to address the risk by working from home.

Loosemoose28 · 04/04/2018 19:50

Rubella is no longer screened at booking. But your GP can easily do the test.

The reason they stopped is there is nothing an MMR Jab can do in pregnancy and if your not immune and have had the MMR and still not immune you are one of the few who can’t hold immunity.

I have had a few MMR vaccines and do not hold immunity to mumps or measles at all

OP call GP in the morning. Don’t worry about work, they can’t force you in with a contagious diease that may harm your baby.

littleducks · 05/04/2018 17:58

Tbh wirk will probably have forgotten by the time your maternity leave is over

surreygirl1987 · 05/04/2018 18:03

If I were you I'd put something to HR in writing - they will want to cover their backs so are likely to tell you to stay home!

fruitcider · 05/04/2018 18:15

"Dear HR

Due to the recent outbreak of measles in the building I will be working from home until my pregnancy risk assessment has been updated to reflect this dynamic risk.

I look forward to hearing from you".

Problem solved.

OutsideContextProblem · 05/04/2018 18:24

Get a private immunity test - possibly ask work to pay. Get HR involved and with a bit of luck they’ll be sensible enough to realise the possible consequences and panic. At 34 weeks pregnant the costs of being found liable for bringing on premature birth could be huge.

surreygirl1987 · 06/04/2018 08:33

@fruitcider yes re your point about risk assessment needing updating! Good point!

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