MMR Vaccination During Pregnancy – Everything You Need To Know
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Are you pregnant and has the doctor told you about the various vaccinations you need to take during these months? Do you want to be sure about the vaccinations you will need and how they will affect you and your unborn baby? Has your doctor recommended the MMR vaccine to you too?
If you want to know more about the MMR vaccine during pregnancy and how it helps, do read our post and learn all about it.
What Is The MMR Vaccine?
The MMR vaccination is a combination of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccination. There is always a three to five percent chance in every pregnancy that that the baby may be born with some birth defects. The MMR vaccination is another way of ensuring both you and your baby are safe from the mentioned diseases it targets.
- Measles, also known as rubella, is a kind of virus that causes rashes on your body. If you have measles, you will also come down with fever and other symptoms of cold, such as cough and runny nose, as well as watery and red eyes.
- Mumps is a type of virus that affects your lymph nodes that are located close to your jaw. If you have mumps, you will come down with a fever and also experience body ache and headache.
- Rubella is also known as German measles. It is also a type of virus that causes fever and mild rashes on the body. If you have rubella, in addition to the above symptoms you will also have body pain, joint ache, headache, watery and red eyes as well as a runny nose.
The MMR vaccine is a mix that includes the live and weakened virus from all the three disease mentioned above. It helps your body to develop antibodies to the said viruses and can help you be immune to future attacks from the same.
[ Read: Ways to Tackle Fever during Pregnancy ]
Is It Safe To Take The MMR Vaccine While Pregnant?
In theory, if you are pregnant, taking the MMR vaccine could actually increase the risk of catching rubella (German measles). However, there are no studies that show that this is the case, and the analysis remains a theoretical one.
Getting affected by the rubella while you are pregnant could cause some serious health issues in the unborn baby. It could lead to various birth defects in the baby, such as heart defects, mental retardation, inability to hear, problems with vision and more. However, there are various cases where pregnant women, who do contract rubella during their pregnancy, gave birth to healthy babies after being treated with the MMR vaccine.
Some theories abound say that getting a MMR vaccine during pregnancy can also increase the risk of measles and mumps, but there is no research to back the claim yet.
[ Read: Tetanus Vaccination During Pregnancy ]
Can You Use The MMR Vaccine As Three Different Vaccinations?
The MMR vaccination is a combination vaccination of all the three diseases and cannot be given as three separate shots. The single shot of MMR consists of all the three individual vaccines that help to keep you protected against measles, mumps and rubella.
While you may find the MMR vaccine as a separate shot option, it is best to go for the single shot that takes care of all three diseases, to increase your chances of staying protected.
[ Read: Common Viral Infections During Pregnancy ]
Does The MMR Vaccination Contain Any Traces Of Mercury?
Some people are worried that the MMR vaccination may contain traces of mercury; however, there is no scientific data to back the same. The MMR vaccine, in fact, does not contain any thiomersal, which is a preservative that contains mercury and is used in some vaccinations.
All About The Measles Vaccine During Pregnancy:
The measles vaccine helps eliminate the risk of contracting measles. Usually, those who take a measles vaccine in pregnancy may require a second shot to eradicate the risk of getting affected with measles. These days, the measles vaccination is only available in a combination with the MMR vaccine.
The vaccination is considered safe and there are no known side effects. However, you should consult your doctor first to know of any possible side effects, especially if you suffer from any health issues. Some side effects that you may experience include:
- Pain or numbness at the site of the vaccination.
- A mild fever that will normally go away, but speak to your doctor if fever persists even after two days.
- A slight discoloration on the skin where the vaccine was injected, with skin turning red or sometimes even purple.
- In case of serious side effects, you may also experience seizures, along with fever. However, serious side effects are rare, but in case you experience anything like them, make sure to get immediate medical attention.
[ Read: Tdap Vaccine During Pregnancy ]
All About The Mumps Vaccine:
The mumps vaccine helps contain the spread of mumps, which is a contagious disease. The condition often leads to swelling in the salivary glands, which can make the cheeks look puffy and also cause swelling and tenderness in the jaw. The mumps vaccine is available as a combination vaccination with MMR and MMRV. Some side effects that you may experience after the vaccination are:
- Purple discoloration on the area of the vaccination
- Fever that is generally over 103 degree F
- Irritability
- Headache
[ Read: Is Flu Vaccine Safe In Pregnancy ]
All About The Rubella Vaccine:
The rubella vaccine is a preventive shot to ward off rubella or German measles. It is available as a combination MMR vaccine and also the MMRV vaccine. While it does not cause any serious issues otherwise, it is highly dangerous during pregnancy. It may even lead to birth defects in the baby. Some side effects that you may experience are:
- Headache
- Numbness or tingling sensation
- Swelling, redness or numbness at the spot of the vaccination
- Pain in the muscles or joints
- Nausea or diarrhea
As with anything you do while you are pregnant, it is important to first speak to your doctor about all your concerns. Check when you have to take the vaccination, whether there are any side effects and how safe it is for you and your unborn.
Did you have the MMR vaccine when pregnant? If yes, when did you get it? tell us below.
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