Prepared from PHE letter by C Auckland; RDE 2018
Antenatal screening for rubella (German measles) susceptibility ended in England on 1 April 2016. The decision to stop screening followed a review of evidence by the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) in 2003 and 2012 which on both occasions found that screening for rubella susceptibility during pregnancy did not meet the UK NSC criteria for a screening programme.
The epidemiology of rubella in the UK has changed due to the high uptake of the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccination in the UK population, both boys and girls. Women are now unlikely to be exposed to rubella in pregnancy. The few cases that occur are usually imported from other countries.
The rationale to end screening for rubella susceptibility includes:
The MMR section 7A service specification sets out that providers are required to make the MMR available to women of child bearing age who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated for rubella and other adults and children who have no history of MMR vaccination, or incomplete immunisation status.
Existing opportunities should be taken for checking the status and administration of MMR vaccination (two doses if needed) for:
What you can advise patients
If pregnant women request Rubella testing, they should be advised that it is no longer part of the NHS antenatal screening programme; that they should check whether they have had 2 x MMR vaccinations, and if they have not, book an appointment to have a MMR vaccination at the 6 weeks post-natal check.
Check all new entrants from EU have had x2 MMR
PHE have published the following resources which can be given to patients:
References
