Mumps and pregnancy

Mumps is a contagious illness which is caused by the mumps virus. Before the mumps vaccine was given as part of routine childhood vaccinations, it was common in Australia. It's now less common.

Mumps mainly affects school-aged children, but people of any age can catch it.

Mumps can cause a worse illness in people who become infected after the age of puberty.

If you have been vaccinated or have had mumps in the past, you are very unlikely to get it again.

Around 1 in every 3 people infected with mumps don't get any symptoms.

Those who do get sick may have some of the following:

• fever
• headache
• tiredness
• loss of appetite

The most noticeable sign of mumps is swelling and pain in your salivary glands. These glands are in your cheeks, near your jawline. This can affect one or both sides of your face.

Mumps is caused by an RNA paramyxovirus. Mumps can spread by breathing in the virus. This usually happens when an infected person coughs or sneezes, spreading the virus through the air.

The virus can also be spread by:

• touching surfaces or items that an infected person has touched
• direct contact with saliva (spit) or urine (wee).

It can take 12 to 25 days after being exposed to the virus for you to become sick.

If you have mumps, you can spread it from one week before you get symptoms. You stay infectious for up to 9 days after your symptoms begin.

You will be most infectious from 2 days before symptoms start until 4 days after symptoms start.

If you have no symptoms, you can still infect others.

If you think you might have mumps, see your doctor. They can help diagnose you.

It's especially important to visit a doctor if:

• you have pain in areas other than the face
• you have a fever that does not go away in 3 days

It's a good idea to tell the receptionist you might have mumps. This means staff can protect other people in the waiting room.

Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms. They may decide to organise a blood test or saliva sample to help confirm your diagnosis.

Mumps is a notifiable disease. This means if you have mumps, your doctor will tell your local public health unit.

The public health unit may talk to you to find out where you caught mumps. They may also ask who you have been in contact with. This is called contact tracing, and it helps limit the spread of mumps and protects your community.

There is no specific treatment for mumps. You will usually get better with rest. If you get very sick or have complications, you might need to go to hospital.

Self-care at home

If your glands are sore, try using a warm or cold pack. This may help with the pain.

Paracetamol can help with pain in your glands and can lower your fever. Paracetamol can be taken during pregnancy. Make sure you follow the information on the pack.

Some pain medicines should not be taken during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking any medicine during pregnancy.

Symptoms usually last for 1 to 2 weeks.

Complications from mumps are rare, but it can cause:

• encephalitis (swelling of the brain)
• hearing loss
• swelling of the ovaries, breasts or testicles

Complications of mumps during pregnancy

Being infected with mumps in your first trimester (0 to 12 weeks) of pregnancy may raise your chance of miscarriage (loss of your baby).

Having mumps in pregnancy is not linked to a higher risk of birth differences for your baby.

Mumps can be prevented by vaccination. The mumps vaccine is a combined vaccination.

There are 2 types of vaccine available, but you can't have these when you are pregnant. Talk to your doctor about pre-pregnancy vaccination.

Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine

The MMR vaccine protects against mumps, measles and rubella.

Measles-mumps-rubella-varicella (MMRV) vaccine

The MMRV vaccine protects against mumps, measles, rubella and varicella.

These vaccines have small amounts of the live virus so they are not suitable for everyone. Ask your doctor if the mumps vaccine is right for you and when you should have it.

How can I stop the spread of mumps?

If you have mumps, there are things you can do to help stop it spreading.

You can help stop the spread through good hygiene such as:

• washing your hands with soap and water, especially before and after using the toilet or preparing food
• not sharing food and drink
• not sharing cups or water bottles
• coughing and sneezing into your elbow
• using disposable tissues

You also need to avoid places where you could infect others.

If you have mumps, you should stay away from work until you stop being infectious. This is about 9 days after you get symptoms.

Not everyone with mumps has symptoms. Even people without symptoms can spread it.

I'm planning a pregnancy — what can I do to avoid mumps?

If you are planning to become pregnant, find out how to get vaccinated against mumps.

Talk to your doctor or contact the National Immunisation Information Line for more information.

Your doctor may not know if you have been vaccinated or infected in the past. They can arrange a blood test to show if you need a vaccine.

If you are vaccinated with the MMR vaccine, you should not get pregnant for at least 28 days.

It's safe to have the MMR vaccine after your baby is born, even if you are breastfeeding.

Vaccination during pregnancy is not advised for mumps.

If you have any questions or concerns about the mumps during pregnancy, speak to your doctor.

Read more about mumps in babies and children.

For more information about immunisation, visit the Australian Government's Immunisation website.

Languages other than English

Health Translations Victoria has information on measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox (varicella) vaccines translated into many community languages.