Rubella is one of the typical exanthematous diseases of childhood: it usually involves mild symptoms or is completely asymptomatic, but it can be very dangerous if contracted during pregnancy.
Especially if contracted in the first 16-20 weeks, in fact, it can lead to spontaneous abortion, death in utero and the so-called congenital rubella syndrome which can lead to various fetal malformations, with risk of blindness, deafness, cardiac abnormalities and mental and psychomotor retardation.
Fortunately, once contracted, leaves a permanent immunity, therefore it is no longer possible to get sick again. The same happens after vaccination: the rubella vaccine protects 100% from infection.
In this article
- What is the rubeo-test for
- What is written on the report
- The various results: how they are read
How to know if you are immune or not: the rubeo-test
If you have not had the vaccine and do not remember if you have contracted the disease in the past, just do one simple blood test, red paint test (which is among those offered free of charge by the NHS), which detects the presence of two types of antibodies or immunoglobulins: IgM and IgG.
- The IgM it is the immunoglobulins that they occur in the acute phase of the disease, so they are immediately detectable in the blood. They remain active for about 2 months, after which their values fall below the limit threshold and the test is negative (although sometimes there are cases of persistence of IgM).
- IgG are the 'memory' antibodies, which occur 1-2 weeks after becoming infected but remain positive for life.
What's written in the report
A numerical value is indicated in the laboratory report which indicates the amount of antibodies present and, alongside, the reference values below or above which the test can be considered negative or positive.
These are variable values depending on the laboratory that carries out the test, for this reason in the report a legend is shown which explains how to interpret the result. "However, it is always necessary to show the results to your gynecologist" recommends, head of the OU of obstetrics and gynecology at the Luigi Sacco Hospital in our city.
The various possible situations
- If both antibodies - IgG and IgM - are negative it means that there has never been contact with the virus: before thinking about conception, think about the vaccine!
- If the IgM and IgG are positive it means that the infection is recent (very recent if the IgG are still negative): it is advisable to consult the gynecologist, who will probably recommend delaying the search for pregnancy for some time (one-two months).
- If the IgM is negative but the IgG is positive, it means that there was an infection but in the past and that now we are immunized: go ahead. "It is the most frequent situation and also the most reassuring," she comments.
Rubella in children: photos to recognize it
go to the galleryRubella is a viral infectious disease with a measles-like rash. It consists of pink, flat spots, which usually cover the whole body the first ...
The story: I thought I contracted rubella in pregnancy
I really wanted a second child immediately after the first and we looked for him right away. At about 8 weeks I do the tests, including rubella. I had also done the first 9 months of analysis for rubella and coombs, always all negative, so I was a bit superficial about it, it seemed impossible to take rubella. And instead, it turned out that I had it.
Read the story of the mom who thought she contracted rubella in pregnancy
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- rubo-test
- rubeo-test results
- rubella test
- rubella
