“Measles is a highly contagious disease that is dangerous to the health of both pregnant women and their unborn babies. March of Dimes encourages all families to vaccinate their children against measles and other vaccine-preventable illnesses. Pregnant women who contract measles are at risk for more severe complications of the illness, as well as at increased risk for preterm birth.
If you’re thinking of having a baby, or trying to become pregnant, you should protect yourself and your future baby by being up-to-date on all your vaccines. If you’re not immune to measles, you should get the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) shot at least one month before pregnancy, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The MMR vaccine is not recommended during pregnancy, and can only be given before conception or postpartum.
If you’re currently pregnant and not immune to measles, or not sure about your immunization status, we urge you to be cautious about exposure to crowds. Pregnant women who are not immune to measles also should avoid contact with children who have not been immunized,” Dr. Gupta said.