Northern Health warns of possible measles exposure at prenatal clinic in Fort St. John, B.C.
In a social media post, the health authority said the potential exposure happened at Fort St. John Prenatal Clinic at 8407 112 Ave. on June 27, between 10:30 a.m. and 1:15 p.m.
Anyone who may have been exposed is asked to monitor for symptoms.
Those include fever, a blotchy rash, a cough and red, watery eyes.
Health officials have stressed that anyone who isn't vaccinated is vulnerable to measles and they encourage everyone to ensure they are up to date on their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccines.
Transmission of measles during pregnancy is rare, according to specialists, and if a baby contracts the disease from the mother in utero, the impact will depend on how far along the pregnancy is.
"Your risk of transmitting the infection to the baby varies during the different trimesters because of the development of the fetus, the development of the placenta and the blood flow," says Dr. Jacqueline Wong, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at McMaster Children's Hospital in Hamilton, Ont.
WATCH | Measles risks during pregnancy:
Dr. Sheryl Choo, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, says serious complications can result if people who are pregnant become infected with measles.
For instance, she says, pregnant people infected with measles can develop lung infections like pneumonia at almost double the rate of those who are not pregnant.
She says it can also increase the risk of serious complications, including miscarriage and premature birth.
Babies born to those infected with measles can also face complications related to premature birth — on top of the potential measles symptoms — such as low birth weight and breathing issues, which can result in stays in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Doctors say the measles vaccine isn't recommended to be administered to people who are already pregnant, and that it's best to get it before pregnancy.
That's because the measles vaccine contains a live strain that is a weakened form of the virus. In contrast, vaccines that contain inactivated viruses — like the flu vaccine — can be given during pregnancy.
Pregnant people who may have been exposed to measles are advised to contact their local health authority, who can determine if exposure occurred and direct patients to seek appropriate care without contributing to further spread.
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