Rubella (German Measles) and Pregnancy

• Rubella is a virus which will produce a mild illness in the pregnant mother but could produce severe problems in the developing baby, also referred to as Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS).

• The unborn child is most at risk of developing CRS if a pregnant woman is infected with the virus in the first three months of pregnancy.

• It is very rare for problems to result if infected after the 20th week of conception.

• Infants with CRS may be born deaf or blind, may have damage to their hearts or mental disabilities. 

CRS is rare in Ontario. Fourteen cases of CRS were reported to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care from 1990-2004, which is about one per year.

• Schools in Ontario are generally well protected as 95% of children have been immunized against rubella.

• Public health units are informed as soon as rubella is diagnosed. If a student is diagnosed with rubella, then all students at that school who have not been immunized are immediately excluded under the authority of the Immunization of School Pupils Act.

• Once students who have not been immunized are excluded from school, it would be rare to see further transmission of rubella in the school 

Call your doctor. Your doctor can check your immunity to Rubella with a simple blood test. This may have already been done during your early pregnancy testing.

• If you are of child-bearing age but not pregnant, have a blood test to ensure you are immune to Rubella.
• If you are not immune, get your MMR vaccine and wait at least 3 months before becoming pregnant.