A rubella blood test
detects antibodies that are made by the immune system to help kill the rubella virus
. The test for IgG antibodies is most common and is the test done to see if a woman who is pregnant or planning to get pregnant is immune to rubella.
What is rubella virus in pregnancy?
Rubella is a
contagious viral infection
best known by its distinctive red rash. It’s also called German measles or three-day measles. While this infection may cause mild symptoms or even no symptoms in most people, it can cause serious problems for unborn babies whose mothers become infected during pregnancy.
What does it mean when you test positive for rubella?
A positive test is 1.0 or higher. That means you
have rubella antibodies in your blood and are immune to future infection
. A negative test is 0.7 or lower. You have too few antibodies to make you immune.
What is a normal rubella test result?
Reference Range:
7 IU/mL or less
: Negative – No significant level of detectable rubella IgG antibody. 8-9 IU/mL: Equivocal – Repeat testing in 10-14 days may be helpful. 10 IU/mL or greater: Positive – IgG antibody to rubella detected, which may indicate a current or previous exposure/immunization to rubella.
Is rubella screened in pregnancy?
Currently rubella susceptibility screening consists of a
blood test offered to all pregnant women
to establish whether they are immune to rubella. Most women are immune and no further action is required.
Is rubella good or bad?
A
rubella infection is mild for most people
, but it can have catastrophic consequences for an unborn baby. If a pregnant woman contracts rubella, her baby is at risk of severe and permanent birth defects or death. Rubella is sometimes called German measles, but rubella is a different viral disease to measles.
How can I check my rubella status?
So doctors usually confirm rubella with the help of laboratory tests. You may have a
virus culture or a blood test
, which can detect the presence of different types of rubella antibodies in your blood. These antibodies indicate whether you’ve had a recent or past infection or a rubella vaccine.
Do I need rubella vaccine before pregnancy?
Rubella infection during pregnancy can cause serious health problems for your baby. If you are not already vaccinated against rubella,
you should be vaccinated before you get pregnant
. Visit the Rubella immunisation service page for information on receiving the rubella vaccine.
What causes rubella virus?
Rubella is caused by
the rubella (roo-BELL-uh) virus
(not the same virus that causes measles). It spreads when people breathe in virus-infected fluid. Before the rubella vaccine, epidemics happened every 6-9 years, usually among kids 5 to 9 years old, along with many cases of congenital rubella.
What happens if you get rubella vaccine while pregnant?
There
is no evidence
that getting the MMR vaccine during pregnancy would increase the chance of birth defects. The MMR vaccine is not recommended during pregnancy because of a very small chance of developing the disease from the weakened virus in the vaccine itself.
What happens if rubella is high?
Women who are infected with rubella may feel
arthritis
in their fingers, wrists and knees. This complication is rare in men or children who get rubella. In rare cases, rubella can cause serious problems, including brain infections and bleeding problems.
Why is my rubella IgG high?
The presence of IgM rubella antibodies in the blood indicates a recent infection while the presence of IgG antibodies may indicate
a recent or past rubella infection
, or indicate that a rubella vaccine (a measles, mumps, rubella vaccine) has been given and is providing adequate protection.
What is the normal range of rubella IgM?
| 19.9 AU/mL or less: Not Detected. | 20.0 – 24.9 AU/mL: Indeterminate – Repeat testing in 10-14 days may be helpful. | 25.0 AU/mL or greater : Detected – IgM antibody to rubella detected, which may indicate a current or recent infection or immunization. |
|---|
What happens if rubella IgG is positive?
A positive rubella IgG test result is good—it means that
you are immune to rubella and cannot get the infection
. This is the most common rubella test done. Negative: Less than 7 IU/mL IgG antibodies and less than 0.9 IgM antibodies.
What does rubella look like?
The main symptom of rubella is a
red or pink spotty rash
. The rash takes 2 to 3 weeks to appear after getting rubella. The rash starts behind the ears and spreads to the head, neck, and body. The rash can be hard to see on dark skin, but might feel rough or bumpy.
How can rubella be prevented?
Getting vaccinated
is the best way to protect against rubella. Rubella is a routine vaccination that children in the United States receive for the first time at 12-15 months of age. It is a combination vaccine that also protects against measles and mumps (MMR vaccine).
