To be confident that you are protected against rubella, you should be sure that you have had rubella in the past or have received two mumps, measles and rubella (MMR) immunisations.

If you are not sure, you should check with your GP. You may need to have a blood test to check your immunity.

If you receive an MMR vaccination, the NHS advises that you avoid becoming pregnant for a month. There’s no evidence that the vaccine causes rubella damage to unborn babies.

In the UK, studies have followed more than 130 women vaccinated up to three months before or during pregnancy, and none have had babies with congenital rubella syndrome. Just over a third of these women were vaccinated during the period of likely greatest risk, between 7 and 42 days after the beginning of their last period (therefore close to conception).

Findings in the UK are in line with similar studies in the US, Scandinavia, Germany and South and Central America.

Screening

During your pregnancy you will be offered a screening test for rubella. This test establishes your current immunity to rubella, and does not offer any protection to your current pregnancy. 

The results, based on the levels of rubella antibodies in your blood, will either show that you are immune, or susceptible to rubella infection.

If you are susceptible you will be advised to get vaccinated with MMR after your pregnancy to protect any future pregnancies, either your own, or those of women around you.

Before and during pregnancy

If you are pregnant and you think you may have been in close contact with someone with rubella, then contact your GP. They will be able to refer you for tests to see if you have contracted rubella (which is unlikely, but it is important to take precautions).

Some young women, who may now be starting to think about planning a family, missed out on their immunisations when they were children. It is not too late to be vaccinated.

The rubella virus in MMR is a weakened form of the wild virus. Sense is not aware of any evidence that people can catch rubella from someone who has had the vaccine, so it is not dangerous to mix with children who have had the MMR vaccine.

New UK arrivals

If you’ve only just arrived in the UK, speak to your doctor to arrange for a rubella blood test and, if you need them, two MMR immunisations as soon as possible.

Even if you’ve had the MMR vaccine before, having two more won't do any harm.

Sense and the Department of Health have jointly produced a leaflet, Thinking of getting pregnant?, which answers questions you may have if you are thinking of becoming pregnant such as how to protect your unborn baby and the unborn children of those that you are close to. This publication is available in English, Bengali and Tamil and can be downloaded below. We have also produced this information in audio format in Bengali and Tamil.

In addition, Sense and the Department of Health have jointly produced some posters for health workers. The poster, Could you get pregnant?, provides quick information for mothers and mothers-to-be on rubella and its effects, and where to go for further information. 

Thinking of getting pregnant?

Thinking of getting pregnant? In Bengali

Thinking of getting pregnant? In Bengali, audio file:

Thinking of getting pregnant? In Tamil

Thinking of getting pregnant? In Tamil, audio file:

Could you get pregnant? Flyer

Could you get pregnant? A3 poster