Rubella virus IgG negative
What is rubella?
Rubella (German measles) is an infection caused by the rubella virus. It is usually a mild illness causing a rash, sore throat and swollen glands. It occurs most commonly in young children but can affect anyone.
What is the congenital rubella syndrome?
If you are pregnant and have rubella (German measles) in the first few months of pregnancy, there is a high chance that the virus will cause severe damage to your developing baby. The virus affects the developing organs and the baby may be born with serious disability - the congenital rubella syndrome. Complications of congenital rubella syndrome include cataracts, deafness, and heart, lung and brain abnormalities. Having rubella infection in the first three months of pregnancy also increases your risk of having a miscarriage.
The risks of your baby developing congenital rubella syndrome are greatest in the first 16 weeks of your pregnancy. The risk is highest in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. The risk is much lower if you are more than 20 weeks pregnant.
Note: congenital rubella syndrome is extremely rare in the UK.
Before you become pregnant
You should have a blood test before you become pregnant. The blood test checks for antibodies in your blood to show that you are immune to rubella (German measles).
- Children in the UK are immunised against rubella as part of the routine childhood immunisation programme. However, in an extremely small number of children, the immunisation does not work well. In these children, when they become adults, their body does not have enough antibodies to protect against rubella.
- The only way to check whether you are immune is to have the blood test.
- This blood test may be offered in routine well woman checks given to younger women who have not yet become pregnant. If you have not had a test, your practice nurse can arrange for this to be done.
- In particular, women who have come to the UK from overseas may not have been immunised and are then at risk of having a baby with congenital rubella syndrome.
