Rubella infection during pregnancy, will the baby be infected?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted with Specialist Doctor I Dang Thi Ngoc Chuong - Pediatrician - Pediatrics - Neonatal Department, Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital.
The risk of congenital rubella syndrome is very high for the fetus when the mother is infected with rubella, so pregnant women infected with rubella in the first 3 months of pregnancy will be consulted by doctors to terminate the pregnancy.

1. Rubella and congenital rubella syndrome

Rubella is an infection with a viral RNA that is transmitted through the respiratory tract. For pregnant women, especially in the early stages of pregnancy, rubella infection can cause adverse effects on the fetus, most notably congenital rubella syndrome.
At each stage of pregnancy, the probability of congenital rubella syndrome in the fetus changes with different rates. If the mother has rubella at <12 weeks gestation, the chance of the baby being born with congenital rubella can be up to 80%. But this rate will drop to 54% if the mother is infected when the fetus is 13-14 weeks old, 35% when the fetus is 13-16 weeks. After 20 weeks, if the mother is infected with rubella, the risk of congenital rubella in the baby is negligible.
Children with congenital rubella syndrome will have manifestations such as premature birth, low birth weight, microcephaly, cataracts, pneumonia, encephalitis, etc. To prevent Rubella for children, pregnant women Pregnant women should be vaccinated against rubella at least 1 month before becoming pregnant.

2. Mechanism of attack of Rubella virus to the fetus

When the mother is infected with Rubella, the virus can enter the fetus and cause effects on the development of the fetus. Some people during pregnancy are infected with Rubella virus but only show mild fever or almost no clinical symptoms, so it is not detected early, thus leaving consequences for the fetus at birth. According to statistics, about 70-90% of rubella syndrome in infants is caused by maternal rubella infection during early pregnancy.

3. What to do if you get Rubella during pregnancy

Because the risk of congenital rubella syndrome is very high for the fetus when the mother is infected with rubella, pregnant women infected with rubella in the first 3 months of pregnancy will be consulted by a doctor to terminate the pregnancy.
For pregnant women who are re-infected with Rubella, that is, who have been infected with rubella or received rubella vaccination before pregnancy, it does not affect the fetus.
If a pregnant woman tests positive for Rubella virus, she should be calm because not all cases of Rubella infection during pregnancy have to be aborted. In addition, it is very important and necessary to visit and receive full advice from doctors to have useful information for both mother and child to be healthy.

4. Prevention of Rubella infection for pregnant women

Currently, there is no specific treatment for Rubella. Therefore, the most effective way to prevent rubella virus infection is still by active vaccination with rubella vaccine.
For women who are planning to have children, they should conduct an immune test with Rubella to know if they have been vaccinated with Rubella or not, in case they have not been vaccinated with Rubella, they should be vaccinated before conceiving. 3 months pregnant, because if vaccinated during pregnancy, there is still the possibility of affecting the fetus.
During pregnancy, it is necessary to avoid contact with sources of infection, especially with people who are infected with Rubella, who have symptoms of flu, rash, etc. because this is a virus that is transmitted through the respiratory tract, so it is very easy. descend.
If the body shows signs of fever and rash, it is necessary to go to medical facilities for timely diagnosis and intervention.

Rubella infection during pregnancy is something no one wants, so every pregnant woman needs to take proactive precautions to have a healthy pregnancy.
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