Exposure to mumps in pregnancy

1. Risks of mumps in pregnancy

While it is possible for any virus to have an adverse effect on pregnancy, the evidence base for an increased risk of fetal loss due to mumps in pregnancy is weak and limited to one study dating back to the 1960s.

This indicated that there may be an increased risk of fetal loss in the first trimester of pregnancy. There is no evidence of an increased risk of severe congenital abnormality.

There is a possible association between mumps infection and a heart condition, endocardial fibroelastosis.

Peri-natal infection may also be associated with respiratory distress around the time of birth and with thrombocytopenia according to case reports.

1.1 Avoiding school settings during a mumps outbreak

There are currently no recommendations for excluding women from such settings for the following reasons:

• if mumps outbreaks are ongoing in the community then excluding women from a setting such as a school or university may not reduce her risk of contracting mumps

• most pregnant women will be immune to mumps

• the evidence that mumps causes problems in p

  can mumps harm unborn baby
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