VACCINE INFORMATION STATEMENT

MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella)
Vaccine: What You Need to Know1

Why get vaccinated?

Measles, mumps, and rubella are viral diseases that canhave serious consequences. Before vaccines, these diseases
were very common in the United States, especially amongchildren. They are still common in many parts of the world.
Measles Measles virus causes symptoms that can include fever,cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes, commonly
followed by a rash that covers the whole body.
 Measles can lead to ear infections, diarrhea, and infectionof the lungs (pneumonia). Rarely, measles can cause brain
damage or death.
Mumps
 Mumps virus causes fever, headache, muscle aches,
tiredness, loss of appetite, and swollen and tender salivary
glands under the ears on one or both sides.

Many Vaccine Information Statements areavailable in Spanish and other languages.
See www.immunize.org/vis
Hojas de información sobre vacunas están
disponibles en español y en muchos otros
idiomas. Visite www.immunize.org/vis

give permanent immunity. The child should still get 2 doses
at the recommended ages for long-lasting protection.
Adults might also need MMR vaccine. Many adults 18 yearsof age and older might be susceptible to measles, mumps,and rubella without knowing it.
A third dose of MMR might be recommended in certain
mumps outbreak situations.
There are no known risks to getting MMR vaccine at thesame time as other vaccines.
There is a combination vaccine called MMRV that
contains both chickenpox and MMR vaccines.
MMRV is an option for some children 12 months
through 12 years of age. There is a separate
Vaccine Information Statement for MMRV. Your
health care provider can give you more information.

 Mumps can lead to deafness, swelling of the brain and/orspinal cord covering (encephalitis or meningitis), painful
swelling of the testicles or ovaries, and, very rarely, death.

people should not get3	Some
this vaccine

Rubella (also known as German Measles)
 Rubella virus causes fever, sore throat, rash, headache, andeye irritation.

Tell your vaccine provider if the person getting the vaccine: Rubella can cause arthritis in up to half of teenage andadult women.
 If a woman gets rubella while she is pregnant, she could
have a miscarriage or her baby could be born with serious
birth defects.
These diseases can easily spread from person to person.
Measles doesn’t even require personal contact. You can getmeasles by entering a room that a person with measles left
up to 2 hours before.
Vaccines and high rates of vaccination have made these
diseases much less common in the United States.

2MMR vaccine

Children should get 2 doses of MMR vaccine, usually: First dose: 12 through 15 months of age
 Second dose: 4 through 6 years of age
Infants who will be traveling outside the United States
when they are between 6 and 11 months of age should
get a dose of MMR vaccine before travel. This can provide
temporary protection from measles infection, but will not Has any severe, life-threatening allergies. A person who
has ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction after adose of MMR vaccine, or has a severe allergy to any partof this vaccine, may be advised not to be vaccinated. Ask
your health care provider if you want information about
vaccine components.
 Is pregnant, or thinks she might be pregnant. Pregnant
women should wait to get MMR vaccine until after they
are no longer pregnant. Women should avoid getting
pregnant for at least 1 month after getting MMR vaccine.
 Has a weakened immune system due to disease (suchas cancer or HIV/AIDS) or medical treatments (such asradiation, immunotherapy, steroids, or chemotherapy).
 Has a parent, brother, or sister with a history ofimmune system problems.
 Has ever had a condition that makes them bruise orbleed easily.
 Has recently had a blood transfusion or received otherblood products. You might be advised to postpone MMR
vaccination for 3 months or more.
U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention Has tuberculosis.
 Has gotten any other vaccines in the past 4 weeks. Livevaccines given too close together might not work as well.
 Is not feeling well. A mild illness, such as a cold, isusually not a reason to postpone a vaccination. Someone
who is moderately or severely ill should probably wait.
Your doctor can advise you.

4Risks of a vaccine reaction

With any medicine, including vaccines, there is a chance ofreactions. These are usually mild and go away on their own,
but serious reactions are also possible.
Getting MMR vaccine is much safer than getting measles,mumps, or rubella disease. Most people who get MMR
vaccine do not have any problems with it.
After MMR vaccination, a person might experience:
Minor events:
 Sore arm from the injection
 Fever Redness or rash at the injection site Swelling of glands in the cheeks or neckIf these events happen, they usually begin within 2 weeks
after the shot. They occur less often after the second dose.
Moderate events:
 Seizure (jerking or staring) often associated with fever Temporary pain and stiffness in the joints, mostly inteenage or adult women Temporary low platelet count, which can cause unusual
bleeding or bruising Rash all over body
Severe events occur very rarely: Deafness
 Long-term seizures, coma, or lowered consciousness
 Brain damage
Other things that could happen after thisvaccine: People sometimes faint after medical procedures,
including vaccination. Sitting or lying down for about 15
minutes can help prevent fainting and injuries caused bya fall. Tell your provider if you feel dizzy or have visionchanges or ringing in the ears.
 Some people get shoulder pain that can be more severe
and longer-lasting than routine soreness that can follow
injections. This happens very rarely.
 Any medication can cause a severe allergic reaction. Suchreactions to a vaccine are estimated at about 1 in a million
doses, and would happen within a few minutes to a few
hours after the vaccination.
As with any medicine, there is a very remote chance of a
vaccine causing a serious injury or death.

The safety of vaccines is always being monitored. For more
information, visit: www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/

if there is a serious
5	Whatproblem?
What should I look for?
 Look for anything that concerns you, such as signs ofa severe allergic reaction, very high fever, or unusual
behavior.
Signs of a severe allergic reaction can include hives,
swelling of the face and throat, difficulty breathing, a fastheartbeat, dizziness, and weakness. These would usually
start a few minutes to a few hours after the vaccination.
What should I do?
 If you think it is a severe allergic reaction or otheremergency that can’t wait, call 9-1-1 and get to the nearest
hospital. Otherwise, call your health care provider.
Afterward, the reaction should be reported to the Vaccine
Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). Your doctor
should file this report, or you can do it yourself throughthe VAERS web site at www.vaers.hhs.gov, or by calling
1-800-822-7967.
VAERS does not give medical advice.

National Vaccine Injury6	TheCompensation Program
The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program(VICP) is a federal program that was created to compensate
people who may have been injured by certain vaccines.
Persons who believe they may have been injured by avaccine can learn about the program and about filing aclaim by calling 1-800-338-2382 or visiting the VICP
website at www.hrsa.gov/vaccinecompensation. There is atime limit to file a claim for compensation.

7

How can I learn more?

 Ask your healthcare provider. He or she can give you
the vaccine package insert or suggest other sources ofinformation.
 Call your local or state health department.
 Contact the Centers for Disease Control andPrevention (CDC):- Call 1-800-232-4636 (1-800-CDC-INFO) or- Visit CDC’s website at www.cdc.gov/vaccines

Vaccine Information Statement

MMR Vaccine
2/12/2018

42 U.S.C. § 300aa-26

Office use only