Children's Health

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If you have been exposed to measles and you have not had the vaccine, you may be able to prevent the infection by getting a shot of immunoglobulin (IG) or the measles vaccine as soon as possible. Babies who are younger than 12 months, pregnant women, and people who have impaired immune systems that can't fight infection may need to get IG if they are exposed to measles.

Why is prevention important?

Getting your child vaccinated is important, because measles can sometimes cause serious problems.

False claims in the news have made some parents concerned about a link between autism and vaccines. But studies have found no link between vaccines and autism.¹

Measles is one of the most contagious diseases. Outbreaks can easily occur. For instance, a person from another country may have measles and not know it yet. If that person travels outside his or her own country, he or she could spread measles to people who are not immune. Also, if you travel to another country and you are not immune to measles, you may be at risk.

If you don't know whether you're immune to measles and you plan to travel, check with your doctor or local health clinic to see whether you should get the vaccine before you travel.