September 28, 2007
Women Can Waive Rubella Test before Marriage
Beginning next month, women who are getting married no longer must have a blood test to find out whether they are immune to rubella, the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) said Friday.
The 2007 Legislature passed Senate Bill 132, changing a state law outlining marriage license requirements. The new law allows women to choose whether to get the blood test. It goes into effect Oct. 1. Under the old law, a couple could get a marriage license only if a doctor certified that the woman had been tested for rubella immunity or was exempt from testing on medical grounds.
Rubella, sometimes called German measles, causes a relatively mild fever and rash in children and adults. But it can have devastating effects on unborn babies.
“If a woman is infected with rubella in the early months of pregnancy, the results can be catastrophic for her unborn child,” said Anne Weber, chief of the Laboratory Services Bureau at DPHHS. “So we hope couples will take the time to educate themselves before making such a critical decision.”
Studies have shown that up to 85 percent of infants whose mothers become infected with rubella during the first three months of pregnancy suffer significant health effects. These can include death of the unborn baby, spontaneous abortion, premature delivery, or birth defects.
Vaccination against rubella, given as part of the MMR (mumps, measles and rubella) vaccine, protects against the disease, but vaccination is not recommended for pregnant women.
“It’s very important for a woman to make sure she’s fully immune to rubella before getting pregnant,” said Dr. Steven Helgerson, chief medical officer for DPHHS. “Any woman who’s not sure she’s immune should get vaccinated before getting pregnant. The surest way to know is to get the blood test.”
The last infant born in Montana with birth defects related to rubella was born in 1990 and died in 1991, he said.
“We hope this will be the last case of congenital rubella syndrome we ever see here,” he added.
The rubella waiver has been incorporated into the “State of Montana Premarital Testing for Rubella Immunity Certificate.” It is available on the DPHHS website at www.dphhs.mt.gov/forms/ under Health.
Applicants for a marriage license should fill out Part A of the certificate to verify that a licensed physician has performed a blood test for rubella immunity. Applicants who want to waive the test should fill out Part B. The form can be completed online and then printed. Copies also are available from the Montana Public Health Laboratory, 1-800-821-7284.
With their signatures on the waiver, the man and woman acknowledge that they have been informed of the risks associated with declining the rubella immunity test. Those risks are outlined on the waiver form.
For more information about the waiver, contact the laboratory at 1-800-821-7284 or the DPHHS Immunization Program at 406-444-5580.
For more information about rubella, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/rubella/.
For information about getting vaccinated, contact your personal health-care provider or your local health department.
