Vaccination programmes are subject to frequent changes, and the consequences of such changes are closely monitored. For example, the introduction of rotavirus vaccination for babies is estimated to have reduced cases in the UK by more than 80%.1 After pertussis vaccination during pregnancy was introduced in 2012, cases of whooping cough in babies aged under 3 months fell by almost 75%. What impact can we, therefore, expect from changes to the rubella screening programme?

Rubella vaccination aims to prevent congenital rubella syndrome (CRS); rubella infection is otherwise usually mild and without major consequence.2 For pregnant women infected with rubella during …