NEW DELHI: India will for the first time introduce a vaccine against Rubella — a viral disease that infects pregnant women and leads to babies being born with cardiac, cerebral, ophthalmic and auditory defects.The Union health ministry so far believed that the disease, also called German Measles , did not affect Indians. Now, the ministry estimates that around 30,000 abnormal children are being born annually because of Rubella. Many experts, however, say the accurate figure would be around two lakh babies.The ministry has decided to introduce a combination vaccine that will protect children against both measles and Rubella in its national immunization programme. Both pregnant women and children will be vaccinated with it.“We have finalized the plan to introduce the vaccine against Rubella. Till now, most cases of Rubella got wrongly labeled as measles because both the diseases have similar symptoms and manifestations. We will roll out the vaccine from June. It won’t even cost a lot. While a single dose measles vaccine costs around Rs 4, a combo with both measles and Rubella will cost around Rs 9,” said a ministry official.He added, “If we start with vaccinating young children, the virus takes refuge by attacking adult population. Hence, we plan to vaccinate both adults — children and girls in child bearing age. The National Technical Advisory Group of Immunization (NTAGI) approved the introduction of a Rubella vaccine in its last meeting.”The ministry says Rubella primarily affects the fetus if the mother is infected in the first three months of pregnancy.All women in the childbearing age are at risk of developing Rubella. Experts say, if a woman gets Rubella in the early months of her pregnancy, there is an 80% chance that her baby will be born deaf or blind, with a damaged heart or small brain, or mentally retarded. This is called Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS).Miscarriages are also common among women who get Rubella, while they are pregnant.The virus may affect all organs and cause a variety of congenital defects. Infection may lead to fetal death, spontaneous abortion or premature delivery.Usually, Rubella virus strikes in winter and spring and causes a slight fever, a rash on the face and neck, and (when teenagers or adults get the disease) swollen glands in the back of the neck and arthritis-like symptoms in the joints. It is spread from person to person through the air, by coughing, sneezing or breathing. The incubation period of rubella is 14 days, with a range of 12–23 days.The greatest danger from Rubella is to unborn babies. Many mothers, who contract Rubella within the first critical trimester either have a miscarriage or a stillborn baby.“Reports from different parts of India highlight the existence of Rubella leading to fetal malformations and wastage. However, the need for routine immunization to control Rubella has not been duly recognized. Our latest studies show high prevalence of Rubella infections, and has pushed the need to protect susceptible women in reproductive age group,” an official said.