How Rubella during Pregnancy Results in Cerebral Palsy

Rubella also known as German measles is a kind of viral disease that is marked with the outburst of a rash that normally begins from your face and then gradually spreads to the other parts of the body. This disease is normally linked to children. This is because most who adults have endured the disease as an infant then developed strong immunity next to it in other stages in their life. Adults who have not endured the infection before and never have immunized themselves can also contact the sickness.

Rubella is a contagious infection. It is caused by a virus called rubivirus which is present in a large amount in the discharge from the nose and the throat. It is through this discharge the infection is spread. The vaccine for the infection has been developed. One thing about German measles is that it is mild, harmless and can disappear by itself after a week or thereabout from the time many experts have contacted. But this is only the way it is in adults. It can be very unsafe to fetus in the woman whether it is contacted by a pregnant woman especially through the first trimester of her having a baby. It can cause terrible birth defects including cerebral palsy.

Rubella can be utilized in the embryo by the pregnant woman if she contacts the problem during the first three weeks of pregnancy. The infection is utilized in the embryo through the placenta. It can cause great injury or terrible congenial disease to the embryo normally termed as congenital rubella syndrome.

Statistics have shown that rubella is the reason birth defect like cerebral palsy within 25% of babies whose mothers contacted the problem during first three weeks in their pregnancy. The virus that causes this infection can also cause brain damage in the embryo if a pregnant woman contacts the infection through the first trimester of pregnancy. Brain damage could be the major cause of cerebral palsy.

The chance of giving birth to baby which is affected by cerebral palsy is high if the rubella is contacted during the 1st trimester but this does not signify the baby is safe if the infection is contacted by the caretaker during the second and another trimesters of pregnancy. The second trimester of pregnancy runs from your 14th to 26th week regarding pregnancy. During the 14th along with 15th week of pregnancy, rubella can still cause havoc for the baby but the risk is not up to in the first trimester. The risk becomes very low as from your 16th week. However, the fact there is the risk of giving birth into a cerebral palsy affected baby in the event you contact rubella during pregnancy it doesn't matter how low the risk is needs caution.

The best line of action to take is to avoid such infection by taking vaccination on time. If have contact with an infected person when you find yourself pregnant and you have not taken the vaccination it is vital that you meet with your physician immediately so that medical attention will likely be given to you.

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