Rubella and Your Baby

German measles, called rubella, is not very prevalent in the United States. However, it is still so dangerous to unborn babies that newly pregnant mothers almost always get tested for immunity against the virus to help them protect themselves and their baby against the virus. If you hadn’t been screened for rubella before you got pregnant, it is a must at your first prenatal appointment.

Rubella can lead to a number of problems in a baby whose mother contracted the disease during her pregnancy. German measles can lead to a miscarriage, or if the baby lives through the virus, he or she can be born with severe birth defects, developmental disorders, or even congenital rubella syndrome.

This disorder, called CRS, can cause deafness, eye problems or blindness, heart abnormalities, and even brain problems such as mental retardation. Your risk of passing CRS to your child is highest if you contract the disease before 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Even if you got the rubella vaccine as a child, there’s a chance that you did not build up immunities strong enough to protect you should you come into contact with the virus during your pregnancy. If you do believe that you might have become infected with German measles while carrying your child, you should avoid getting other pregnant women sick as well.

Sadly, there is not much that you can do after you are infected during your pregnancy. Your doctor might give you a shot of immune globulin to try to protect your child from severe defects, but this is not always a guaranteed solution. That is why getting tested for immunity while you are thinking about becoming pregnant-but before you actually do so-is a good idea.

Contact Us

Having a doctor who does not reasonably warn you against rubella can lead to birth defects and even death to your baby. For more information regarding newborn infections and other factors that can cause birth injury, contact the Philadelphia birth injury lawyers of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C., by calling 215-238-1130 today.