US Measles Cases Exceed 1,100
The U.S. has recorded over 1,100 measles cases in the last two months, with health officials expecting more deaths. The outbreak highlights the critical role of perinatal screening and immunization education for maternal health providers.
The current outbreak represents a 15.7% week-over-week increase in cases, with 90% of the 1,136 confirmed cases being linked to specific outbreaks. This follows a total of 2,281 cases in 2025, which was the highest number recorded in over three decades. The sustained transmission has placed the U.S. on the verge of losing its measles elimination status, a designation it has held since 2000. The Pan American Health Organization will determine if the ongoing outbreaks are linked, which could lead to the official revocation of this status. For pregnant individuals, measles infection poses significant risks, including miscarriage, stillbirth, low birth weight, and preterm delivery. Due to these dangers, some health systems are now recommending rubeola IgG screening for all pregnant patients at their initial prenatal visit, a departure from previous standard practice. In the case of exposure in a non-immune pregnant person, guidelines recommend the administration of intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) within six days to mitigate the severity of the illness. Infants born to mothers who have measles around the time of delivery are at high risk for congenital measles. To provide protection, these newborns may receive measles immune globulin.
