The rubella immunity test

The rubella immunity test is carried out on women who want to try for a baby; doctors advise all women that are planning to get pregnant to have the test before they conceive. The immunity test will determine whether or not you are protected against the rubella virus; all children in the UK are vaccinated against the disease but the immunisation does not last a lifetime and therefore you may not still be immune to the virus. If you are not immune you will be vaccinated; it is not possible to vaccinate women that are already pregnant because the vaccination contains a live virus which could harm the foetus. If you have only just been immunised you will be advised to wait for four weeks before you start to try for a baby.

If you have not had an immunity test and you are already pregnant, you will be offered the test as part of your antenatal care; most women are immune so no further action will be required. If you are not immune you will be advised to steer clear of people who may have the infection; if you do come into contact with somebody who has the symptoms, you should consult your doctor immediately.  You can then have the MMR vaccination after the baby is born to protect you in the future.