I am currently traveling outside of the country for work. It got me thinking about what could be some common pregnancy complications outside of the USA.
Rubella, also called German measles, has been pretty much eliminated in the USA. There were only 4 cases in the USA between 2001 and 2004. Travelers can bring it into the USA or you can get it while traveling, but Rubella is common in many other countries.
Rubella is only harmful to an unborn baby in the womb. But if you do get infected with Rubella, it can cause serious problems for your baby including Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) which causes a number of birth defects including: heart, vision and hearing problems, and bone and growth problems. In the worst cases, rubella can cause miscarriage or stillbirth.
Rubella symptoms can be confused with many common symptoms:
- Low-grade fever
- Runny Nose
- Red eyes
- Swollen glands
- Muscle or joint pain
It is important to get vaccinated for Rubella by getting the MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) vaccine. Most likely you received this vaccine as a child and you are immune to the disease. But it’s best to check with your health care provider. A simple blood test can tell whether or not you are immune to the disease. If you are immune you will not get the infection.
But, and this is an important but, the MMR vaccine isn’t recommended during pregnancy: best to check before you are trying to get pregnant.
If you are pregnant and if you are traveling outside of the country - and if you are feeling some of the symptoms above (or you’ve come in contact with someone who does have Rubella,) do not hesitate! Go to the nearest hotel and get a recommendation for the nearest hospital with the best neo-natal unit. Again, Rubella can be a serious risk to your baby. Never hesitate to be cautious and safe.
RELATED FROM AROUND THE WEB