MMR vaccination and pregnancy
The MMR, or measles, mumps and rubella vaccine protects you against those three serious diseases, two of which are especially dangerous during pregnancy.
In this video, Nisha tells us about the risks of measles, mumps and rubella, and why you need to get the vaccination before you get pregnant.
Measles
Measles is a highly contagious and dangerous disease. It spreads very easily between people who aren't vaccinated.
Measles can cause anything from a rash and flu type symptoms right through to chest infections, brain swelling and death.
Catching measles while pregnant can make you very sick, potentially causing miscarriage, premature delivery and stillbirth.
Rubella
If caught as a child, rubella (which used to be know as German measles) is normally a mild virus that gives you a spotty rash.
However, if you catch it while you are pregnant, rubella can cause serious birth defects in your baby, such as heart defects, brain damage and deafness.
Mumps
Mumps is caused by a virus and usually causes painful swelling in the glands around your face.
In some cases, complications caused by mumps can cause hearing loss, inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) or infection of the spinal cord and membrane that covers the brain (meningitis)
Risks during pregnancy
The MMR vaccine used in NZ (Priorix) is a live vaccine, and contains weakened strains of the three diseases.
Because of this you cannot get the MMR vaccine while you are pregnant and need to make sure you have had 2 doses at least a month before you get pregnant.
If you don’t know if you have had 2 doses of the MMR vaccine, and are planning on getting pregnant, you need to get vaccinated as soon as possible. There is no risk from having more than two doses of this vaccine, so it’s better to make sure you are fully vaccinated than to risk your health, or that of your pēpi while you are pregnant.
Find out more
Call us or drop in and talk to one of our pharmacists is you have any questions, or want to find out more about your MMR vaccination. Use the button below if you want to book in to get your free MMR vaccinations.
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Saturday
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Contact us
Phone: 04 564 8618
Fax: 04 564 5886
Email: dispensary@clives.co.nz
20-21 Queen Street
Wainuiomata
Wellington
New Zealand
