The measles outbreak continues to spread in parts of West Texas and New Mexico, and it has now reached several other states, including Pennsylvania, California, and Oklahoma.
So far in 2025, more than 250 cases of measles have been reported across multiple states, resulting in two confirmed deaths, one of which was an unvaccinated child—marking the first death from measles in the U.S. in a decade.
What is measles?
Measles, also known as rubeola, is a highly contagious viral illness characterized by a distinctive rash and high fever. It spreads easily through breathing, coughing, or sneezing. According to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, the measles virus resides in the nose and throat mucus of an infected person.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the most effective way to protect against measles is through the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
Key points:
Transmission: Measles is a viral infection that can lead to serious complications, particularly in babies and young children. The virus spreads easily when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes, releasing infectious droplets into the air that others can inhale.
Symptoms: Common symptoms of measles include a high fever, cough, runny nose, and a characteristic rash that usually starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.
Prevention: Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent measles. The World Health Organization (WHO) notes that vaccinating against measles has significantly reduced the number of measles-related deaths worldwide.
Receiving two doses of the MMR vaccine provides 97% effectiveness in preventing measles for life, while one dose offers about 93% protection. The CDC emphasizes that when over 95% of a community is vaccinated, the majority of individuals benefit from community immunity.
Although measles is one of the most contagious diseases and can lead to life-threatening complications across all age groups, it is especially more contagious and poses risks to both pregnant women and babies, especially unvaccinated ones, potentially leading to complications like premature birth and low birth weight.
Measles and pregnancy:
Measles is a highly contagious airborne illness that can cause symptoms such as a rash, fever, red eyes, and a cough. Severe cases can lead to complications like blindness, pneumonia, or encephalitis, which is swelling of the brain. In some instances, the illness can be fatal.
Both newborns and pregnant women are at a higher risk for complications from the measles virus. Unvaccinated mothers who contract measles early in their pregnancy are at risk for low birth weight, premature birth, and stillbirth.
For those who contract the infection later in pregnancy, there is a higher likelihood of transmitting the virus to the baby through vertical transmission, where the virus passes through the placenta, or more commonly, through airborne transmission shortly after birth.
When mothers have immunity against measles, babies younger than 6 months will inherit some immunity through their antibodies. However, if a mother is unvaccinated or lacks immunity, her babies are left vulnerable.
As per Dr. Lynn Yee, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, who told CNN, “Neonates have more fragile immune systems, and their recovery can be more complicated.”
Unvaccinated pregnant women are at a greater risk of complications from measles, such as pneumonia.
People who are not pregnant can receive the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine within 72 hours of exposure to the virus to prevent infection. However, pregnant women cannot receive the vaccine. Instead, they can be given immunoglobulin, or antibodies, within six days of measles exposure. Infants younger than 6 months can also receive immunoglobulin after exposure.
According to Dr. Yee, she has never treated a patient with measles but has counseled pregnant women who were exposed to the virus and had not been vaccinated as children due to their parents’ wishes. As per her, “I think most patients want to protect themselves, and there may be feelings of regret or anger that they weren’t better protected.”
Key points:
Pregnant women are at increased risk: Contracting measles during pregnancy can lead to complications for both the mother and the developing fetus, including premature birth, low birth weight, and miscarriage.
Babies are also vulnerable: Unvaccinated babies are particularly susceptible to severe measles complications, and if a pregnant woman is exposed to measles within 10 days of delivery, it can cause a serious infection in the newborn.
Measles complications: Besides premature birth and low birth weight, measles can also cause pneumonia, encephalitis (brain inflammation), and in rare cases, death, especially in high-risk populations.
Prevention: The best way to protect against measles is through vaccination with the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine, which is generally recommended for pregnant women to receive well in advance of pregnancy, ideally in childhood.
