Alberta babies have been born with measles due to outbreaks, worrying doctors

CBC

20-06-2025

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As the province's measles case count approaches 1,000, health experts are raising the alarm about Alberta babies who are being born already infected with the virus.
The provincial government has confirmed cases of congenital measles, which can lead to severe complications, including death, have already occurred as a result of this year's outbreaks. Pregnant Albertans are also testing positive.
"Fewer than five cases of congenital measles have been reported in Alberta in 2025. In each case, the mother was not immunized. Information on whether the infants were born prematurely is not available," an official with Primary and Preventative Health Services said in an email.
"To date, there have been 20 confirmed cases of measles in pregnant individuals. Fewer than five have been hospitalized due to the infection."
The Alberta government does not publish this information publicly. CBC News asked for the data after Ontario reported a premature baby, born infected with measles, died. That province has reported seven cases of congenital measles since mid-October.
When CBC News asked for more detailed data, an official said the province limits the release of information when case numbers are very small for privacy reasons. The data was up-to-date as of June 12.
No measles deaths have been reported in Alberta since the outbreaks began this year.
As of June 14, a total of 85 Albertans had been hospitalized due to the infection, including 14 intensive care unit admissions.
By midday Thursday, the province's total measles case count had climbed to 996.
Serious complications
Pregnant individuals are at higher risk of complications from measles.
"We're extremely concerned about the potential for exposures for unimmunized mothers, in particular during pregnancy, given that there is an increased risk for premature birth and complications that are pretty significant for the mother," said Dr. Amber Reichert, an Edmonton-based neonatologist.
"There is an extremely high risk to either pregnancy loss or potentially an early birth or potentially the babies becoming infected as well."
A recent editorial in the Canadian Medical Association Journal warned of these serious consequences.
Premature birth itself comes with risks, including underdeveloped lungs and babies requiring breathing support.
In addition, pregnant people can get very sick from a measles infection, often due to pneumonia.
"There is a ten-fold higher risk of death when a person who is pregnant gets measles," said Dr. Eliana Castillo, an obstetrician and clinical associate professor in the department of medicine at the University of Calgary.
What is congenital measles
Congenital measles occurs when the mother passes the infection along in the final two weeks of pregnancy and the baby is born infected, according to Castillo.
It can spark severe complications in the infant, including brain inflammation and even death, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"Those babies can be very, very sick," said Castillo.
Ontario announced earlier this month that a premature baby born with congenital measles had died. The infant's mother was unimmunized. At the time, health officials said measles was a "significant contributing factor" to the premature death but that the baby also had other serious health problems.
In addition to a fever and rash, babies with congenital measles can be born with other symptoms, including inflammation of the liver, physicians are warning.
"They potentially could also present with pneumonia or potentially have an infection around the brain, which is called encephalitis," said Reichert.
If the baby is born early — and has congenital measles — there is a higher risk of serious lung disease due to the immaturity of their lungs, she added.
And beyond the immediate health concerns, there are several potential and serious long-term consequences, including a rare but debilitating neurological illness that manifests years later.
Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis is a virus that hides in the brain for years. It eventually flares up, triggering brain inflammation and causing children or young adults to lose the ability to move and speak. In nearly all cases patients die.
According to Reichert, the risk of this complication is believed to be higher when a baby is born with measles or is infected early in infancy.
"It's a devastating consequence because it really isn't treatable," said Reichert.
Babies can also experience immune system impacts that leave them more highly susceptible to illness, Castillo said.
A major worry
Measles is highly contagious and health officials have warned that given low immunization rates in parts of the province, official case counts are the tip of the iceberg and there are likely more cases going unreported.
It's a major worry for physicians.
"Everyone is concerned this is going to be happening for months at a time," Castillo said, adding that as case counts rise, so too do the chances that more babies will be infected and potentially face life-altering or life-threatening complications.
She's concerned that Albertans don't fully understand the risks that go along with pregnancy and measles.
"We have not had a concerted public health response, particularly to raise awareness about how serious it can be for babies and pregnant individuals," she said, adding she's glad the province shared the data it did when requested by CBC News.
"But again they're not in the public domain. And that makes it very, very hard because we haven't had the concerted effort to raise awareness … and give people the tools to make decisions."
CBC News asked the province if it will publish this information moving forward, but did not hear back prior to publication time.
Reichert wants Albertans to understand the risks and she's urging everyone to ensure that they and their children are immunized to protect both themselves and others around them who may not be able to be immunized.
Mothers who are immunized pass antibodies on to the fetus during pregnancy, offering protection during a baby's first few months of life.
Post-exposure therapy
The measles vaccine (MMR) is not generally recommended during pregnancy in Canada.
Pregnant Albertans who are unimmunized and have been exposed to measles and infants under six months of age are among the high risk groups who may be offered immune globulin, a short-acting antibody medication that can protect against the virus.
It must be given within six days of exposure.
According to the province, 52 people have received it including 37 infants since the outbreaks began in March. The province did not say how many of the adults were pregnant.
Alberta is also offering an early and extra dose of the measles vaccine to babies as young as six months living in the harder hit south, central and north zones.