The rubella vaccine should not be given to pregnant women or to a woman who may become pregnant within 3 months of receiving the vaccine. If you are contemplating getting pregnant, make sure that you are immune to rubella through a blood test or proof of immunization. If you are pregnant and you are exposed to rubella, call your obstetrician immediately. Rubella cannot be treated with antibiotics, since antibiotics do not work against viral infections. Any pregnant woman who has been exposed to rubella should contact her obstetrician immediately.
Rubella is usually a mild illness, especially in children.
To relieve minor discomfort, give acetaminophen. Record the child's temperature once each morning and each evening. Call your child's doctor for fever above 102 degrees F, or above 100.4 degrees F if your child is younger than 6 months. Avoid giving aspirin to a child who has a viral illness since the use of aspirin in such cases has been associated with the development of Reye syndrome . The Nemours Foundation is a nonprofit organization devoted to children's health and is the largest physician practice delivering subspecialty pediatric care in the United States.