There is no treatment for this disease.

Patients can take acetaminophen to reduce fever.

Defects that occur with congenital rubella syndrome can be treated.

Rubella is usually a mild infection.

However, if a mother is infected during early pregnancy, rubella can cause defects in the developing baby. The unborn baby can develop congenital rubella syndrome, which typically has a poor outcome. Defects are rare if the infection occurs after the 20th week of pregnancy.

Complications that can occur in the unborn baby:

• Cataracts
• Congenital heart defects
• Congenital rubella syndrome
• Deafness
• Ear infection (otitis media)
• Encephalitis (rare)
• Mental retardation
• Microcephaly
• Transient arthritis (common in adolescents and adults with rubella)

A miscarriage or stillbirth may occur.

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if:

• You are a woman of childbearing age and are unsure of whether you have been vaccinated against rubella
• You or your child develop a severe headache, stiff neck, earache, or vision problems during or after a case of rubella
• You or your child need to receive MMR immunization (vaccine)