How long after receiving varicella vaccine should a woman wait to become pregnant? The woman shouldn’t become pregnant for at least one month following each dose of the vaccine. This differs from the package insert, which recommends a three-month delay.…
Vaccination
What is a vaccine? A vaccine is a medicine that’s given to help prevent a disease. Vaccines help the body produce antibodies. These antibodies protect against the disease. Vaccines are given by injection (a “shot”) or by mouth. Each province…
Rubella
Rubella is a highly contagious viral disease causing slight fever, mild rash, and swollen glands. Contracting rubella in early pregnancy can result in birth defects and fetal death. Rubella vaccine is recommended to prevent the spread of the disease, especially in women of childbearing age. Symptoms of rubella include rash, fever, joint aches, and runny nose, but as many as half of all cases occur without a rash. There is no specific treatment for rubella, but immunity after contracting the disease is usually permanent. The MMR vaccine, which includes rubella, is given to children and those without laboratory evidence of immunity. Preventing the spread of rubella is crucial to control congenital rubella syndrome (CRS), which can cause deafness, blindness, heart defects, and mental retardation in infants.