measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine

The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is given in a series of shots. The first shot is usually given to a child who is 12 to 15 month old. The booster shots are then given between 4 and 6 years of age. At least 28 days (4 weeks) should pass between the first and second doses of this vaccine.

Adults born after 1956 should receive at least one MMR vaccination if they have never had the diseases or received an MMR vaccine during their lifetime.

Your individual booster schedule may be different from these guidelines. Follow your doctor's instructions or the schedule recommended by the health department of the state you live in.

Be sure you receive all recommended doses of this vaccine. If you do not receive the full series of vaccines, you may not be fully protected against the disease.

You can still receive a vaccine if you have a cold or fever. In the case of a more severe illness with a fever or any type of infection, wait until you get better before receiving this vaccine.

You should not receive a booster vaccine if you had a life-threatening allergic reaction after the first shot.

Keep track of any and all side effects you have after receiving this vaccine. When you receive a booster dose, you will need to tell the doctor if the previous shots caused any side effects.

Becoming infected with measles, mumps, or rubella is much more dangerous to your health than receiving the vaccine to protect against these diseases. Like any medicine, this vaccine can cause side effects, but the risk of serious side effects is extremely low.

Measles, mumps, and rubella are serious diseases caused by viruses. They are spread from person to person through the air.

Measles virus can cause minor symptoms such as skin rash, cough, runny nose, eye irritation, or mild fever. It can also cause more serious symptoms such as ear infection, pneumonia, seizures, permanent brain damage, or death.

Mumps virus causes fever, headache, and swollen glands, but more serious symptoms include hearing loss, and painful swelling of the testicles or ovaries. Mumps can cause breathing problems or meningitis, and these infections can be fatal.

Rubella virus (also called German Measles) causes skin rash, mild fever, and joint pain. Becoming infected with rubella during pregnancy can result in a miscarriage or serious birth defects.

The measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine is used to help prevent these diseases in children and adults.

This vaccine works by exposing you to a small dose of the virus or a protein from the virus, which causes the body to develop immunity to the disease. This vaccine will not treat an active infection that has already developed in the body.

Measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine is for use in children between the ages of 12 months and 6 years old, and in adults who have never received the vaccine or had the diseases.

Like any vaccine, the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine may not provide protection from disease in every person.

You should not receive this vaccine if you are allergic to:

• eggs;
• gelatin;
• neomycin (Mycifradin, Neo-Fradin, Neo-Tab); or
• if you have ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to any vaccine containing measles, mumps, or rubella.

You should also not receive this vaccine if you have:

• a chronic disease such as asthma or other breathing disorder, diabetes, kidney disease, or blood cell disorders such as anemia;
• severe immune suppression caused by disease (such as cancer, HIV, or AIDS), or by receiving certain medicines such as steroids, chemotherapy or radiation; or
• if you are pregnant.

Before receiving this vaccine, tell the doctor if you have:

• thrombocytopenia purpura (easy bruising or bleeding);
• active tuberculosis infection;
• a history of seizures;
• a neurologic disorder or disease affecting the brain (or if this was a reaction to a previous vaccine);
• a weak immune system caused by disease, bone marrow transplant, or by using certain medicines or receiving cancer treatments;
• if you have received an immune globulin or other blood product within the past year; or
• if you have received a previous MMR vaccine within the past 28 days (4 weeks).

You can still receive a vaccine if you have a cold or fever. In the case of a more severe illness with a fever or any type of infection, wait until you get better before receiving this vaccine.

You should not receive a measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine if you are pregnant. Wait until after your child is born to receive the vaccine.

Avoid becoming pregnant for at least 3 months after receiving a measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine.

Do no not receive this vaccine without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

This vaccine is given as an injection (shot) under your skin. You will receive this injection in a doctor's office or other clinic setting.

The measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine is given in a series of shots. The first shot is usually given to a child who is 12 to 15 month old. The booster shots are then given between 4 and 6 years of age. At least 28 days (4 weeks) should pass between the first and second doses of this vaccine.

Adults born after 1956 should receive at least one MMR vaccination if they have never had the diseases or received an MMR vaccine during their lifetime.

Your individual booster schedule may be different from these guidelines. Follow your doctor's instructions or the schedule recommended by the health department of the state you live in.

Your doctor may recommend treating fever and pain with an aspirin-free pain reliever such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, and others) when the shot is given and for the next 24 hours. Follow the label directions or your doctor's instructions about how much of this medicine to take.

It is especially important to prevent fever from occurring if you have a seizure disorder such as epilepsy.

This vaccine can cause false results on a skin test for tuberculosis. Tell any doctor who treats you if you have received a measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine within the past 4 to 6 weeks.

Contact your doctor if you will miss a booster dose or if you get behind schedule. The next dose should be given as soon as possible. There is no need to start over.

Be sure you receive all recommended doses of this vaccine. If you do not receive the full series of vaccines, you may not be fully protected against the disease.

An overdose of this vaccine is unlikely to occur.

Do not receive another "live" vaccine such as oral polio, yellow fever, or varicella (chickenpox) for at least 4 weeks after you have received the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. The other live vaccine may not work as well during this time, and may not fully protect you from disease.

You should not receive a booster vaccine if you had a life-threatening allergic reaction after the first shot.

Keep track of any and all side effects you have after receiving this vaccine. When you receive a booster dose, you will need to tell the doctor if the previous shots caused any side effects.

Becoming infected with measles, mumps, or rubella is much more dangerous to your health than receiving the vaccine to protect against these diseases. Like any medicine, this vaccine can cause side effects, but the risk of serious side effects is extremely low.

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• problems with hearing or vision;
• extreme drowsiness, fainting;
• easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness;
• seizure (black-out or convulsions); or
• high fever (within a few hours or a few days after the vaccine).

Less serious side effects include:

• redness, pain, swelling, or a lump where the shot was given;
• headache, dizziness;
• low fever;
• joint or muscle pain; or
• nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.

Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Contact your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

Before receiving this vaccine, tell the doctor about all other vaccines you have recently received.

Also tell the doctor if you have recently received drugs or treatments that can weaken the immune system, including:

• an oral, nasal, inhaled, or injectable steroid medicine;
• medications to treat psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, or other autoimmune disorders, such as azathioprine (Imuran), efalizumab (Raptiva), etanercept (Enbrel), leflunomide (Arava), and others; or
• medicines to treat or prevent organ transplant rejection, such as basiliximab (Simulect), cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral, Gengraf), muromonab-CD3 (Orthoclone), mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept), sirolimus (Rapamune), or tacrolimus (Prograf).

If you are using any of these medications, you may not be able to receive the vaccine, or may need to wait until the other treatments are finished.

There may be other drugs that can affect this vaccine. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you have received. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Your doctor or pharmacist may have information about this vaccine written for health professionals that you may read. You may also find additional information from your local health department or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.