Does exposure to the MMR vaccine cause birth defects? Other vaccines?
The MMR is a vaccine for measles, mumps, and rubella. If a woman gets one of these viruses while pregnant, it may cause her to have a miscarriage or to have a baby with birth defects. The MMR, like some other vaccines, is made with viruses that are alive but very weak. Because these viruses are alive, there is a very slight chance that they may cause harm to the baby. For this reason, a woman who may be pregnant should not get an MMR or other vaccine unless she is at high risk of getting a serious illness without it. She should talk about the risks and benefits of getting the vaccine with her doctor. A woman who has just gotten the vaccine and then learns she is pregnant should also talk with her doctor. Vaccines such as those for tetanus and hepatitis are made from dead viruses or parts of dead viruses and do not cause infection in the mother and should not harm the fetus.
