What Is The MMR Vaccine?

The MMR in the MMR vaccine stands for measles, mumps and rubella and the product is a combined vaccine against these three childhood infectious diseases. It is given in two doses to children at around 13 months and then at 3 to 5 years, although teenagers and adults can also have it later if they were not given the vaccine when they were babies.

The vaccine can be given to pregnant women exposed to rubella – german measles infection. The vaccine helps to prevent them developing the infection, which causes damage to the baby in the womb.

The vaccine is given to prevent the spread of the three different infectious diseases. Many people can remember having these diseases in childhood with no very bad effects but all three have dangerous complications that can cause severe illness or even death. Measles is a big killer of children in underdeveloped countries; German measles can cause birth defects and mumps can cause sterility in males, if it affects the testes.