Uncommon Infant and Newborn Problems—Rubella

Also called: German measles, Three day measles

Rubella is an infection caused by a virus. It is usually mild with fever and a rash. About half of the people who get rubella do not have symptoms. If you do get them, symptoms may include

• A rash that starts on the face and spreads to the body
• Mild fever
• Aching joints, especially in young women
• Swollen glands

Rubella is most dangerous for a pregnant woman’s baby. It can cause miscarriage or birth defects.

Rubella spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes. People without symptoms can still spread it. There is no treatment, but the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine can prevent it.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• Congenital rubella (Medical Encyclopedia)
• MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) Vaccine: What You Need to Know (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) – PDF
• MMRV (Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella) Vaccine: What You Need to Know (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) – PDF
• Rubella (Medical Encyclopedia)

It can be scary when your baby is sick, especially when it is not an everyday problem like a cold or a fever. You may not know whether the problem is serious or how to treat it. If you have concerns about your baby’s health, call your health care provider right away.

Learning information about your baby’s condition can help ease your worry. Do not be afraid to ask questions about your baby’s care. By working together with your health care provider, you make sure that your baby gets the best care possible.

• Brief resolved unexplained event — BRUE (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Crying – excessive (0-6 months) (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Failure to thrive (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Hemorrhagic disease of the newborn (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Hyperglycemia – infants (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Neonatal sepsis (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Neutropenia – infants (Medical Encyclopedia)