Test to beat rubella

Press, 28 November 1980, Page 4

Test to beat rubella

PA Wellington The Health Department is keeping a close eye op all babies born this year, because of the upsurge in the number of babies bom with congenital rubella. The department is looking for babies which may not have immediately apparent symptoms. The Director of Health Promotion, Dr Campbell Begg, said that symptoms such as blindness or deafness might not be recognised until later in a baby’s development. The upsurge in rubella (German measles) is the worst since the mid-19605. Dr Begg pleaded that all women of child-bearing age have a blood test to determine if they have immunity to the disease. “Any woman who is considering pregnancy should pause and check with her doctor through a simple

blood test which can deters mine if she is safe," he said. If a woman has contracted rubella once, it could not be contracted again. It was only during pregnancy that it posed a danger to the unborn child. Dr Begg also asked that all women of child-bearing age — even if they did not intend to become pregnant soon — have the blood test. “This is the only way we will stop that small per centage of women who are not immune from suffering a possible tragedy later,” he said. Dr Begg said the Health Department was not rushing about immunising young girls in response to the present upsurge. “They will be immunised under the programme in good time. But it is those of child-bearing age who need protection now,” he said. The department is also urging all doctors to ask

routinely all their female 1 patients If they have had a 4 rubella immunisation, I Dr Begg said the depart* ment would have more up* to-date figures on the out*, f break this week. But so far there have been six reported ' cases of babies born with, congenital defects and ano* ther 25 suspected cases. ' The secretary of the Fed*; eration for Deaf Children, I Mrs M. Gunn, said iff ' Christchurch last evening ' that it was good for the de* j partment to be looking?atbabies bom this year, but j that it had overlooked many. , babies bom in 197& aridH 1979. « j “Our evidence is that the ■ department has not picked! up Jhe bora-deaf babies of | the last two years," she; said. v “However, I agree with Dr < Begg that toe upsurge in ru* i bella is the worst since the I 19605.”