Can rubella be prevented?
In the United States, the rubella vaccine is part of the normal childhood measles, mumps, and rubella immunization (MMR). The rubella vaccine protects at least 90 out of 100 immunized people from getting this disease.1 Outbreaks may occur in people who haven’t been immunized, especially in college, military, health care, and child care settings and among recent immigrants.1 In the U.S., most infants who are born with congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) have foreign-born mothers.2 Babies born with rubella (passed from an infected mother during pregnancy) may be contagious through their first birthday.1 These infants can spread the illness to others who have not developed protection through immunization or prior history of the disease. It is very unlikely that a person who has had rubella could get the disease again.
