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Complications

By Mayo Clinic staff

Rubella is a mild infection. Once you've had the disease, you're usually permanently immune. Some women with rubella experience arthritis in the fingers, wrists and knees, which generally lasts for about one month. In rare cases, rubella can cause an ear infection (otitis media) or inflammation of the brain (encephalitis).

However, if you're pregnant when you contract rubella, the consequences for your unborn child may be severe. Up to 90 percent of infants born to mothers who had rubella during the first 11 weeks of pregnancy develop congenital rubella syndrome. This can cause one or more problems, including:

  • Growth retardation
  • Cataracts
  • Deafness
  • Congenital heart defects
  • Defects in other organs
  • Mental retardation

The highest risk to the fetus is during the first trimester, but exposure later in pregnancy also is dangerous.

Preparing for your appointment Causes
References
  1. Q&As about vaccination options for preventing measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/combo-vaccines/mmrv/vacopt-faqs-hcp.htm. Accessed May 30, 2011.
  2. Rubella: Make sure your child is fully immunized. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/Features/Rubella/. Accessed May 30, 2011.
  3. Hall CB. Rubella. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 30, 2011.
  4. Rubella. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec14/ch193/ch193e.html. Accessed May 30, 2011.
  5. Mason WH. Rubella. In: Kliegman RM. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/2087468196/0/1608/0.html. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2450-7..50246-2&isbn=978-1-4160-2450-7&sid=1164904620&uniqId=252862957-8#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2450-7..50246-2. Accessed May 30, 2011.
  6. Reef SE. Rubella. In: Brunette GW, et. al. CDC Health Information for International Travel 2010: The Yellow Book. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2010. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2010/chapter-2/rubella.htm. Accessed May 30, 2011.
  7. Rubella. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2011: Instant Diagnosis and Treatment. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05610-6..C2009-0-38600-6--TOP&isbn=978-0-323-05610-6&about=true&uniqId=230100505-53. Accessed May 30, 2011.
  8. Riley LE. Rubella in pregnancy. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 30, 2011.
  9. Parker AA, et al. Measles (rubeola). In: Brunette GW, et. al. CDC Health Information for International Travel 2010: The Yellow Book. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2010. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2010/chapter-2/measles.htm. Accessed May 30, 2011.
  10. Measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/Vaccines/MMR/MMR.html. Accessed May 30, 2011.
  11. Possible side effects from vaccines. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/print.do?url=http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/side-effects.htm. Accessed May 30, 2011.
  12. Reef S, et al. Rubella. In: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Manual for the surveillance of vaccine-preventable diseases. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2008. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/surv-manual/. Accessed May 30, 2011.
  13. Congenital rubella syndrome. In: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Manual for the surveillance of vaccine-preventable diseases. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2008. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/surv-manual/. Accessed May 30, 2011.
  14. Rubella disease in-short (German measles). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/rubella/in-short-adult.htm#who. Accessed May 30, 2011.
  15. Hoecker JL (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. June 1, 2011.
DS00332 July 9, 2011

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