At a Glance Why Get Tested? When to Get Tested? Prior to or at
the beginning of a pregnancy to verify immunity; when a pregnant
woman has symptoms of rubella, such as fever and rash; when a
newborn shows signs of abnormal development or birth defects
that may be caused by an in utero infection; whenever there is
need to verify a recent rubella infection or to verify immunity
A blood sample drawn from a vein in the arm of an adult or blood
drawn from a heelprick or from the umbilical cord of a newborn
Test Preparation Needed? The Test Sample What is being tested?
Rubella is a virus that causes an infection that is usually mild
and characterized by fever and rash that last about 2 to 3 days.
The Infection is highly contagious but is preventable with a
vaccine. This test detects and measures rubella antibodies in
the blood that are produced by the body's immune system in
response to an infection by the rubella virus. There are two
types of rubella antibodies: IgM and IgG. The first type to
appear in the blood af