Rubella vaccine

Vaccinating against rubella protects pregnant women and their unborn babies

Type of vaccine

2-in-1 live vaccine (or MMR 3-in-1 live vaccine)

Protects against

Rubella & measles

Primary course

1-2 doses

Boosters

No

Suitable for ages

From 12 months

What is the rubella vaccine?

Rubella (also known as German measles) is a viral infection characterised by a distinctive red rash that starts on the face and quickly moves down the torso, arms and legs. Other symptoms can include a mild fever, headache, blocked or stuffy nose, inflamed red eyes, enlarged and tender lymph nodes, and aching joints.

Although rubella often causes mild symptoms in children or no symptoms at all, it can lead to serious problems for babies whose mothers are infected during pregnancy. This includes damage to an unborn baby’s sight, hearing, brain and heart.

The highest risk to women and their babies is during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. Rubella can cause miscarriage.

The rubella vaccine is designed to stop people from catching and spreading German measles to reduce the risk of anyone coming into contact with the virus during pregnancy.

Protection against rubella is available through a combined vaccine that protects against measles. The MMR vaccine is also available, offering protection against measles, mumps, and rubella.

How does the rubella vaccine work?

The rubella vaccine is a “live” vaccine, which means that it contains a weakened (attenuated) version of the rubella virus. It works by stimulating your child’s immune system to produce antibodies that will remember and fight the rubella virus if they were to be exposed to it in the future, but it does so without giving your child rubella.

Who should have the rubella vaccine?

It’s recommended that all teenage girls are vaccinated against rubella prior to childbearing age. This is to protect the unborn baby in any future pregnancy.

Rubella vaccine FAQs

The vaccine is 90% effective in clinical practice. That means that nine out of 10 of those vaccinated will be protected following immunisation.

Like all vaccines, the measles-rubella vaccine (MR) combined vaccine for measles and rubella can cause side effects. For the majority of people, especially children, they’re mild and self-resolve within a day or two.

Commons side effects include pain and redness at the injection site. Your child may also experience a low-grade fever and rash.

Post-vaccination joint pain can happen among adolescents and adult females but is rare in children and men. Though this joint pain generally settles within a few days, it can occasionally persist for over a year. Painful joints are more likely to occur with natural rubella infection than with vaccination.

Allergic reactions to this vaccine are very rare; it has been used extensively in many countries for more than 20 years.

If your child has a history of dairy allergies or is allergic to any of the ingredients in the vaccine, it will not be suitable. If you’re unsure, your child should be tested for any suspected allergies beforehand.

It’s also important that you tell us if your child has any heart, liver or kidney problems, or if they’re taking any medication.

This vaccine is not recommended during pregnancy.

The rubella vaccine is given as an injection in the thigh or upper arm.

Protection through immunisation seems to be long-term. Rubella vaccination was first introduced in the UK in 1970 for girls and non-immune women of childbearing age. Most of the people immunised since that time are still protected against rubella.

Of course, no vaccination protects everybody. It’s estimated that a single dose of the immunisation doesn’t work in about 10% of people, in which case a second dose may be recommended.

You may choose for your child to have an immunity blood test to check if they require a second dose.

A single dose of the combined measles and rubella vaccine can be given from one year of age upwards. All girls should have had a rubella-containing vaccine before they reach childbearing age.

Yes. If you would like to check your child’s immunity to rubella, we can organise a blood test first. The vaccination can be repeated, if necessary.

Yes. If you or someone close to you is planning a pregnancy and isn’t sure whether they have been vaccinated against rubella, it’s advisable to have a blood test to check your immunity.

In most cases, yes.

However, Yellow Fever and a vaccine for Measles and Rubella (including the MMR) should not be given on the same day, and a minimum interval period of four weeks should be observed between them.

A Rubella-containing vaccine can be given on the same day as a Chickenpox vaccine. Otherwise, a minimum four-week interval should be observed.

Immunisation against rubella is offered through the NHS in the form of the MMR vaccine, which offers protection against measles, mumps and rubella. The first dose is given at 12 months and the second at three years and four months.

These single vaccines are no longer manufactured.

This is not a problem. After all, most children receive two MMR vaccines.

Rubella vaccine ingredients

On the tabs below, you will find ingredient information and links to the Patient Information Leaflets for the UK standard vaccines that protect against rubella. Other suitable vaccines may be available for your child based on the clinical need, but this must be discussed during a consultation to ensure you are given the appropriate advice and prescription for your child’s needs.

Name: Priorix

Age: Suitable from 12 months onwards (can be given from 9 months in special circumstances)

Manufacturer: GlaxoSmithKline

Active ingredients: Live attenuated measles virus (Schwarz strain), live attenuated mumps virus (RIT 4385 strain, derived from Jeryl Lynn strain), and rubella live attenuated virus (Wistar RA 27/3 strain)

Other ingredients: Amino acids (containing phenylalanine*), lactose (anhydrous), mannitol (E 421), sorbitol (E 420), medium 199 (containing phenylalanine, para-aminobenzoic acid, sodium, and potassium); water for injections

*Phenylalanine may be harmful to people with phenylketonuria (PKU)

Mercury content: Nil

Aluminium content: Nil

Contains porcine gelatin?: No

Contains dairy products?: Yes

Licensed for use in the UK

Priorix patient information leaflet: Click to view

Name: M-M-RvaxPro

Age: Suitable from 12 months (can be given from 9 months in special circumstances)

Manufacturer: Merck Sharp and Dohme

Active ingredients: Measles virus1 Enders’ Edmonston strain (live, attenuated) – not less than 1×103 TCID50; Mumps virus1 Jeryl Lynn™ [Level B] strain (live, attenuated) – not less than 12.5×103 TCID50; Rubella virus 2 Wistar RA 27/3 strain (live, attenuated) – not less than 1×103 TCID50

Other ingredients: Sorbitol (E 420), sodium phosphate (NaH2PO4/Na2HPO4), potassium phosphate (KH2PO4/K2HPO4), sucrose, hydrolysed gelatine, medium 199 with Hanks’ salts, MEM, monosodium L-glutamate, neomycin, phenol red, sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), hydrochloric acid (HCl) (to adjust pH), and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) (to adjust pH); water for injection

Mercury content: Nil

Aluminium content: Nil

Contains porcine gelatin?: Yes

Contains dairy products?: No

Licensed for use in the UK

M-M-RvaxPro patient information leaflet: Click to view

Aftercare

We’ll give you detailed aftercare advice for your child after their vaccination(s), including what to do in the event of any side effects.

Your child may experience some redness, tenderness and/or swelling at the injection site, so it’s helpful to expect this. These side effects should self-resolve within a few days.

You can download our Patient Aftercare leaflet here.

If your child is unwell outside of clinic hours, please call 111 for advice or go to A&E if they need urgent medical attention.

Individual advice about the rubella vaccination

Need advice about whether your child should have the combined measles and rubella vaccine or the MMR vaccine? The BabyJabs team is here to listen and answer your questions to help you decide.