Rubella, also known as German measles, is a viral infection. While its effects can be mild and cause few problems in adults, it is a serious concern in pregnancy, especially if contracted during the first trimester.
Rubella is a very mild disease. Many people are unaware that they have it during childhood. The most common symptom of rubella is a skin rash. Some people also experience flu like symptoms. If you are concerned that you have contracted rubella you should contact your doctor immediately. A blood test will be administered and sent to a laboratory for antibodyA protein immunoglobulin which is produced naturally by the body and is essential to the immune system by working to combat foreign bodies, germs or bacteria. They are produced by thelymphoid tissue and consist of different classes each of which is designed to fight specific antigens. They include agglutinins, bacteriolysins, opsonins and preciptin.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. testing to determine whether you are immune to the disease. The results of the test may indicate that the test should be repeated ten days later.
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Rubella is transmitted through contact with people who are infected. Most people are immune because they have already had the disease and have antibodiesA protein immunoglobulin which is produced naturally by the body and is essential to the immune system by working to combat foreign bodies, germs or bacteria. They are produced by thelymphoid tissue and consist of different classes each of which is designed to fight specific antigens. They include agglutinins, bacteriolysins, opsonins and preciptin.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. in their blood to prevent future infection. Statistics suggest that eighty five percent (8.5 in 10) women are immune by age twenty, and nearly all of them are immune by age thirty five. Because of the risks to the fetus during the first trimester of pregnancy, a blood test to confirm the presence of antibodies in the blood stream is a prerequisite for a marriage license in many US states.
If rubella antibodies are not present, a rubella vaccine will be administered. The vaccine is a live virus vaccine and lasts at least seven years. You should not conceive within three months of receiving the vaccine, nor should you assume that vaccination guarantees immunity: the antibodiesA protein immunoglobulin which is produced naturally by the body and is essential to the immune system by working to combat foreign bodies, germs or bacteria. They are produced by thelymphoid tissue and consist of different classes each of which is designed to fight specific antigens. They include agglutinins, bacteriolysins, opsonins and preciptin.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. lose their effectiveness over time. If tests show that you are not immune to rubella and you are already pregnant, your doctor will probably advise vaccination immediately after the birth of your baby.
If you contract rubella during the first trimester your baby has a greater than 50% chance of congenital infection. First trimester infection is particularly dangerous, resulting in increased rates of miscarriage, congenital malformationsAny abnormality which is present at birth. Also called birth defects, they can arise from genetic inheritance or acquired during gestation through disease or drugs.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. including heart defects. There are many other problems which may affect the fetus including cataracts, loss of hearing and mental retardation. After the first trimester, the rate of transmission to the fetus averages about fifteen percent (3 in 20).
If you received the rubella vaccine immediately before your pregnancy was confirmed the risk of your baby having the virus at birth is only two percent (1 in 50). Most doctors will advise against termination simply because you received the rubella vaccine before getting pregnant.
Although the chances of contracting rubella are low, the risk of a rubella infection itself during pregnancy is far more serious and can cause congenital malformations including deafness, blindness, heart defects or if contracted early during pregnancy, stillbirth.
If you have recently received the rubella vaccine your doctor will advise you to wait at least three months before trying to conceive. The rubella vaccine is a live virus, meaning that a small amount of inactivated virus is present in your body. Your body, recognizing the virus as foreign builds immunity to the infection. The immunity takes three months to develop and it is unwise to expose a developing fetus to the rubella virus.
If you are diagnosed with rubella during pregnancy your doctor may offer gamma globulinA protein based antibody made from pooled human plasma. Gamma globulin can be used to immunize many conditions including measles, poliomyelitis, chickenpox, serum hepatitis (following transfusion), hepatitis A, agammaglobulinemia, and hypogammaglobulinemia.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions.. Gamma globulin does not guarantee immunity, and the risks to the fetus imposed by rubella infection during the first few weeks of your pregnancy are high. Your doctor may suggest that you consider an abortion.
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