Rubella vaccination

Children at 13 months and 4 years as part of MMR vaccine.
Teenage female patients as part of school immunisation schedule until catch-up programme complete.
Female patients of childbearing age who are not rubella immune and may become pregnant.

Rubella immunisation should be avoided in early pregnancy, and women of child-bearing age should be advised not to become pregnant within 1 month of immunisation. However, despite active surveillance in the UK, the USA, and Germany, no case of congenital rubella syndrome has been reported following inadvertent immunisation shortly before or during pregnancy. There is thus no evidence that the vaccine is teratogenic, and routine termination of pregnancy following inadvertent immunisation should not be recommended; potential parents should be given this information before making a decision about termination.
Live vaccines should be postponed until at least 3 months after stopping corticosteroids or immunoglobulin injection and 6 months after stopping chemotherapy. Avoid in patients with reticulo-endothelial system diseases or where normal immunological systems may be impaired.
Any febrile illness.
Anaphylaxis to polymyxin or neomycin.

Children are immunised as part of the child health programme.
Female patients aged 17-18 are contacted by letter if the practice has no record of their rubella status.
A reminder is added to each patient record of female patients aged 16-25 without a record of rubella status (unless sterilised, hysterectomised or refused) to allow opportunistic discussion about rubella.
Rubella status is covered in the contraceptive sophie wcscont.gdl.
Rubella status is covered in the preconceptual care package.
Rubella status is determined at the start of every pregnancy and immunisation is given after delivery if required.
Standard Read coding is adopted.