They will normally pose no risk to others, but anyone in direct contact with children with congenital rubella is advised to be screened and immunised as necessary. About vaccination Most women today choose to protect themselves from rubella by being immunised before they become pregnant, and this has greatly reduced the numbers of children affected. Even if a woman has already been immunised however, it is important that she has a blood test before becoming pregnant to ensure that she is still immune. The rubella vaccine is now given to children when they are between 12 and 15 months old. This is given in combination with the vaccinations for measles and mumps - called the MMR vaccination.
Children receive a booster injection before they start school.
We do not fully understand how the virus affects the baby. The virus seems to affect the cells of parts of the baby's body that are being developed at the time of infection. Sometimes there is insufficient blood supply which can harm organs which have developed already. However, every child is different. Some children will appear to be unaffected, but they should be followed up during childhood, particularly for hearing loss.