What it means
A virus infection that is usually mild in children, with a rash that starts on the face, low fever and swollen lymph nodes behind the ears. Its danger is to an unborn baby: infection in early pregnancy can cause miscarriage or congenital rubella syndrome, with deafness, eye and heart defects and intellectual disability. The MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine prevents it.
For the nurse
Pregnant clients are tested for rubella immunity. A client who is not immune gets the MMR vaccine after giving birth, not during pregnancy, because it is a live vaccine; teach her to avoid pregnancy for at least 4 weeks after the shot. Use droplet precautions for an infected client.
At a glance
| Spanish | rubéola |
|---|---|
| Also written | german measles |
Related terms
vaccine
A product that trains the immune system to protect the body against a specific disease.
measles
A very contagious illness caused by the measles virus; also called rubeola.
droplet
A drop of moisture sprayed from the nose or mouth when a person coughs, sneezes or talks, which can carry germs a short way.
prenatal care
Health care for a pregnant person and the unborn baby during pregnancy, before birth.
pregnancy
The time during which an embryo, then a fetus, develops inside the uterus, from conception to birth.