Can I conceive after a rubella infection and vaccination?
Obstetrics and Gynaecology Consultant,
Apollo Hospital, New delhi
Q: I am 25 years old. I got married 3 yeras back and had a threatened miscarriage last year. It was a two months pregnancy. After that my doctor told me to take 3 months precautions and when I got my tests done rubella was found. Last year I was vaccinated for the same. Now I want to conceive so I want to ask you whether it would be safe. I am very worried but I want to conceive soon.
A:I am afraid what you have written is not clear. If your Rubella IgG (test) was positive why did you take the vaccine? If you have had rubella ever in your life your IgG would be positive and you do not need the vaccination as one episode of rubella will immunize you against the infection for life. So unless you have diseases like AIDS or take steroids on a long term basis, you can never get rubella again. In case IgM for rubella was positive (meaning a recent infection) you would be immune now so either way you do not need the vaccine! You do not need to wait at all unless rubella was negative for IgG since that would mean that you need the immunization and if that was the case you will have to wait for about 3 months after the vaccine. But if you have taken the vaccine despite IgG for rubella being positive it was a waste and has no good or bad effect on you or your future pregnancies. There must be some confusion or a communication gap between you and your doctors. Please discuss it in detail with your treating doctor and let me know if you need further clarifications. In conclusion I want to emphasise that if IgG for Rubella was positive youwill not get rubella and need not wait to conceive anymore. If IgG was negative before you took the vaccine please wait for about 3 months.