Rubella Handout from midwife, Rev. Kathy Rateliff; CCD, CCCE, SM

To the Rubella Non-Immune Client

Your lab report indicates that you titer levels are not high enough to consider you Rubella immune. This generally results when you have never contracted Rubella and/or if you previously been immunized against Rubella, if the vaccine did not confer immunity level high enough to protect you. Up to 80% of those who contract Rubella have been immunized, so you should understand the vaccine may not confer complete immunity. Contracting Rubella confers lifetime immunity.

The primary concern during pregnancy is that you should not expose yourself and your unborn baby to anyone who has rubella. You should also limit your exposure to young children recently immunized with the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine because it is a live vaccine and can cause the diseases it is supposed to prevent.

Maternal infection during pregnancy can cause serious fetal damage, especially if contracted during the first trimester. Approximately 20% of women who contract Rubella during the first trimester will have a baby born with defects, and the rate may be as high as 50% in the first month. Birth defects commonly reported include cataracts, heart defects,
and deafness. Other defects reported less commonly include: glaucoma, microcephaly, and defects of the eyes, ears, heart, brain and central nervous system. Severely affected babies may abort spontaneously.

Symptoms of Rubella include: low grade fever, drowsiness, sore throat, rash which generally appears and spread rapidly over the face and down the body before vanishing, swollen neck glands. Symptoms may last 3 – 5 days, if there are any visual symptoms at all. There is no therapeutic agent to prevent the disease once exposed.

Women who test non-immune are commonly encouraged to receive the Rubella or MMR vaccine post-partum. This advice is not without some risk. The Rubella vaccine is a live vaccine and can cause Rubella. Adverse reactions among teen girls is 5-10% and 30% in adult women. The PDR lists the following side effects from the vaccine: contracting rubella, burning or stinging at the injection site, lymphadenopathy, urticaria, rash, malaise, sore throat, fever, headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, polyneuritis, arthralgia, arthritis, local pain and inflammation, erythema multiforme, cough, rhinitis, vasculitis, anaphylaxis, syncope, optic neuritis, retrobulbar neuritis, papillitis, Guillain-Barre Syndrome, encephalitis, thrombocytopenia purpura, and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

 

Recent studies by Dr. Wakefield in the UK have demonstrated a probable cause between the MMR, autism and bowel disease in young children.  Two studies published in December 1999, describe very high incidence of autism in children whose mothers have received either the MMR or the Rubella vaccine during the postpartum period or prior to conception and during pregnancy.

 

The following information was reported in these studies.  The first study described mothers vaccinated in the postpartum period. Twenty of the twenty-five mothers (80%) reported having at least one
child who was diagnosed with autism subsequently. Some of these mothers also experienced multiple miscarriages following the vaccination and had children with other kinds of disabilities. The second study reviewed seven situations where the mothers were vaccinated either one to four months prior to pregnancy or during early pregnancy. Six of the seven mothers (85%) reported having children diagnosed with autism following the vaccination and the seven had a
child with many autistic symptoms.

Discussion of the clinical cases reported the following: 

Several mothers who were in good health and had normal children previously experienced health problems.
Several of the mothers experienced miscarriages or had premature deliveries in subsequent pregnancies.
Many of the moms remained rubella-susceptible (were still rubella non-immune).
All of the studied mothers reported children who developed autism of other disabilities following her immunization.
Symptoms in many of the affected children worsened after they were vaccinated.

Conclusions from the study:
Live virus vaccines to a mother just prior to or during pregnancy are inappropriate.
Postpartum vaccination with the MMR or Rubella vaccine may not be safe or wise due to possible risks, limited benefits, and the ability to assure maternal immunity.

References:
1. Autism: Is there a vaccine connection? Part I. Vaccination after delivery. 

www.garynull.com/Documents/autism99b.htm
2. Autism: Is there a vaccine connection? Part II. Vaccination during pregnancy.   www.garynull.com/Documents/autism99b2.htm
3. Changes in the population of persons with Autism and PDD Californias Developmental Services System: 1987 through 1998. A report to the Legislature.    www.dds.ca.gov/autismreport.cfm
4. Yazbak, F.E.: Autism 99, A National Emergency www.garynull.com/Documents/autism_99.htm
5. Rollens R.: Personal communication, January 2000
6. Wakefield AJ, Murch SH, Anthony A, et al: Ileal-lymphoid hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in children. Lancet 1998:351:637-41

The previous information had been provided to help you make an informed determination about your own health and that of your current unborn child and any subsequent children you may have. It is not our intent to encourage you to receive a vaccine after this pregnancy or to dissuade you from vaccination. This is a decision that you and your family need to consider, perhaps investigate further and determine the benefits and risks for yourself.

We would appreciate it if you would inform us if you feel that you have been exposed to Rubella during this pregnancy so we can indicate this on your prenatal records.
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 ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE.  THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.