With improved vaccination practices, Rubella is uncommon in adults. lf it is contracted in early pregnancy, however, it can have damaging effect for the baby. Not all women who are infected show symptoms, but in general the virus develops 7 days after infection, the rash begins a week after that, and antibodies produced to fight the infection can be detected after another 7 days. The virus does the most damage to a baby during the first eight weeks of pregnancy and can cause blindness deafness, mental retardation or cardiac and abdominal abnormalities, or a combination of all of these. After the 16th week damage is usually limited to hearing loss. After the 20th week the baby is unlikely to be affected.
Pregnant women are routinely screened for Rubella immunity. If you are screened before conception and have no immunity you can be given vaccination but must not get pregnant for 3 months.
Treatment
lf you come into contact with rubella while you are pregnant or if you develop a suspicious rash, you can be tested for antibodies. If you have none, the test will berepeated 2 and 4 weeks later Io determine whether you have been infected. If you have been infected in the first 16 weeks you will be given counseling as you decide about the future of the pregnancy.