Measles, Mumps, and Rubella Vaccine

MMR vaccine is a routine childhood vaccination. Two doses are given: 1 at age 12 to 15 months and 1 at age 4 to 6 years. (See Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]: Recommended Immunizations for Birth Through 6 Years Old, United States, 2025.)

All adults who were born in or after 1957 should be given 1 dose of the vaccine unless they have documentation of vaccination with one or more doses of MMR vaccine, are not able to receive the vaccine (for example, if they are allergic to an component), or laboratory tests show they are immune to all 3 infections.

Birth before 1957 is generally considered sufficient evidence of immunity to measles, mumps, and rubella, except for health care workers. Health care workers born before 1957 should be vaccinated or have laboratory tests done to check for evidence of immunity.

Adults who are likely to be exposed to these infections should get a second dose of the vaccine. These people include those who:

• Were born in 1957 or later who work in health care and who are not already immune to measles, mumps, and rubella

• Go to college or other educational institutions after high school

• Travel internationally or may be exposed while in area where there is an outbreak of 1 or more of the infections

• Have HIV infection (unless their immune system is severely weakened) and are not already immune to measles, mumps, and rubella

Other adults who should receive a second dose include those who:

• Live in the same house as a person with a severely weakened immune system

• Were vaccinated with inactivated (killed) measles vaccine or measles vaccine of unknown type during 1963 to 1967 (when measles was a separate vaccine)

• Were vaccinated with killed mumps vaccine or mumps vaccine of unknown type before 1979 (when mumps was a separate vaccine) and are at high risk of exposure to mumps

(See CDC: Recommended Immunizations for Adults Aged 19 Years and Older, United States, 2025.)

Rubella infection during pregnancy can have severe consequences for the fetus such as miscarriage or severe birth defects. Therefore, all people who could become pregnant, regardless of their birth year, should be tested for immunity to rubella. If people have no evidence of immunity, those who are not pregnant should be vaccinated, and pregnant people should be vaccinated promptly after the pregnancy is completed.

Travelers going abroad, including babies aged 6 to 12 months, who do not have proof of being immune to measles and who can safely get the MMR or MMRV vaccine should ideally receive either vaccine at least 2 weeks before their trip.

People who have had a serious, life-threatening allergic reaction (such as an anaphylactic reaction) to any component in the MMR vaccine or to a previous dose of the MMR vaccine should not receive it.

People who have a severely weakened immune system caused by leukemia, lymphomas, advanced HIV infection, chemotherapy, or long-term use of immunosuppressants should not receive the MMR vaccine.

Pregnant people and people who have had serious allergic reactions to gelatin or to certain antibiotics (particularly neomycin) should not be given this vaccine. Vaccination is given after the pregnancy is completed. People who have been vaccinated should avoid becoming pregnant for 28 days or more afterward because the viruses in the vaccine may be able to infect a fetus during early pregnancy.

Certain other conditions may affect whether and when people are vaccinated (see also CDC: Who Should NOT Get Vaccinated With These Vaccines?).

If people have a temporary illness, doctors usually wait to give the vaccine until the illness resolves.