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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Rubella - can someone help??

20 replies

Shelli08 · 09/05/2008 15:40

I had a number of routine blood tests done at my last visit to the midwife and i have had a message from the midwife that one of the results has come back that im not immune to rubella and they can't vaccinate til baby is born...does anyone know what this means please?? x

OP posts:

PortAndLemon · 09/05/2008 15:43

It means that you need to be extra specially careful to avoid exposure to anyone with rubella. How pregnant are you (it's most dangerous to the baby if caught in the first sixteen weeks of pregnancy)? Do you work in teaching or healthcare or some other profession that might expose you to a higher-than-normal risk of catchung it?

Original poster

Shelli08 · 09/05/2008 16:09

Hi i am 13+5 weeks pg and i do work as a Teaching Assistant/Trainee Teacher I am scared because i had a m/c in Jan is it really dangerous? the midwife said on the answerphone saying its nothing to worry about but i am worried !!x

OP posts:

crimplene · 09/05/2008 16:13

Hi Shelli

I know a couple of people who've had rubella during pregnancy and it's not at all good, especially early on. You really should be able to get more advice from your MW about how best to avoid being exposed to it.

Failing better advice, I'd avoid large groups of children and especially any children who you know haven't had the MMR. I'd probably avoid crowds of people in general until later in the pregnancy when the risks of serious problems for your baby if you do catch it are much lower. I agree with PortAndLemon about looking at your job to see if it's exposing you to an especially high risk of catching it - you do have rights if it is.

ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 09/05/2008 16:14

Really try not to worry, it's not a very common illness. It is dangerous in pregnancy, but then so is mumps, measles, or any illness you could catch (although rubella is more serious) by which I mean it's a risk, but a very small one that you would catch it.
It's really not worth stressing youself over, there isn't a lot you can do to avoid it, but like I say, it's really quite rare xxx

charitygirl · 09/05/2008 16:16

It doesn't cause miscarriage - exposure to rubella can sometimes cause problems to the dsveloping baby, such as deafness.

It really isn't something to stress about because most children are immunised against it these days - and it's rare anyway.

Perhaps someone else will advise whether you need to take any acttion vis a vis work. But I'm sure it will be fine.

Original poster

Shelli08 · 09/05/2008 16:18

Does immune to it mean you can catch it easily?

OP posts:

crimplene · 09/05/2008 16:23

Yikes! not an ideal job; well looking on the bright side, you're towards the end of the most risky period for your baby and it's not a common disease anymore. I'd try Tommy's for advice on this here as their focus is on healthy pregnancy and they do give advice on employment rights during pregnancy, if your MW isn't more helpful

crimplene · 09/05/2008 16:24

No, the other way round. If you're immune, you can't catch it, so if you're not immune, it is possible to catch it if you're exposed to it.

BigBadMouse · 09/05/2008 16:27

No. If you are immune to it you can't catch it.

Most people have had it so there isn't a lot of it about. A few people catch it more than once but that is quite rare. It is usually only like having a cold with a rash so many people don't realise they have had it - so if they say they haven't they might not be right.

BigBadMouse · 09/05/2008 16:30

just read my post and it sounds ridiculous 'most people have had it so there isn't much of it around' .....what I mean is most adults have had it as children, and once you have had it you are v unlikely to have it again - young children are immunised against it when they have their MMR (it's the R bit) so there isn't much of it about now.

Original poster

Shelli08 · 09/05/2008 16:33

Thanks 4 advice everyone - still scared though cos i work with 4-5 year olds in Reception class xx

OP posts:

crimplene · 09/05/2008 16:35

I should also add to my previous post that the reason I know a couple of people who've had rubella during pregnancy is because of some voluntary work I do - not that it's at all common these days. It does make me take avoiding it very seriously, but it's still not likely to happen to you even if you just carry on as usual.

EffiePerine · 09/05/2008 16:36

I'd have a work with your boss and see if you can maybe shift duties for a few weeks, or even be signed off. Could you ring your MW for advice?

I was advised to have my rubella immunity checked before TTC for this reason (it was OK as it turns out). So remember to have the jab once you've had your LO

PortAndLemon · 09/05/2008 16:36

Talk to the school about a risk assessment on your job relating to pregnancy -- it's a legal requirement for them to do that anyway. It may be that they could swap you with someone in an older class for a month or so, for example. Does the school have information on how many of the children have had the MMR? If they all have, for example, then you're not at higher risk than anyone else.

thelittlestbadger · 09/05/2008 16:38

Also, it might be worth asking the m/w to repeat the blood test at your next appt as I was told exactly the same thing and then it turned out I was immune after all. Do you remember being vaccinated against it?

crimplene · 09/05/2008 16:39

You really need some professional advice on this asap. If the best advice is that you should be doing some admin away from the children or something for the next few weeks, you'll probably need more than the opinion on MN to sort it out with your boss.

mears · 09/05/2008 16:48

How pregnant are you Shelli?

PortAndLemon · 09/05/2008 16:51

She's 13+5

mears · 09/05/2008 16:53

Sorry, just seen that you are 13+5.

information here

It is highly unlikely that you will be exposed but you should discuss it with your midwife. It may well be that you would wish to avoid working with young children till you are 16 weeks

wannaBe · 09/05/2008 17:01

I would seak some professional advice on this. Rubella is not as common as it used to be, but if your unborn baby is exposed to it then the consequences can be devostating.

At the school I attended we had a unit for childre who were deaf as well as blind. Most of them were so because of rubella, and most of them also had severe learning difficulties.

Catching rubella in pregnancy is more than just a little bit serious - it's very serious.

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