# Pennsylvania warns of congenital measles cases

> Pennsylvania's health department alerts doctors to a resurgence of measles in pregnancy and newborns, a condition unseen in the US for decades.
- Title: Pennsylvania warns of congenital measles cases · Ars Technica
- Summary: Pennsylvania's health department alerts doctors to a resurgence of measles in pregnancy and newborns, a condition unseen in the US for decades…
- Keywords: pennsylvania, measles outbreak, congenital measles, pregnancy, vaccination rates, mmr vaccine, technology, science, warns, congenital, measles, cases
- Source: Ars Technica — https://arstechnica.com/health/2026/10/pennsylvania-issues-alert-on-congenital-measles-something-us-hasnt-seen-for-decades
- Published: 2026-10-19T22:44:26+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: pennsylvania, measles outbreak, congenital measles, pregnancy, vaccination rates, mmr vaccine, technology, science
## Pennsylvania alerts on measles in pregnancy
Pennsylvania's health department issued a health alert Monday as measles cases in pregnancy and congenital measles cases have increased. Before the current outbreak, congenital measles cases had not been seen in decades.
## Scale of Pennsylvania's measles outbreak
As of October nineteen, Pennsylvania had reported one thousand two hundred eighty-six measles cases this year across forty-two counties. Two hundred forty-seven have been hospitalized and six people have reportedly died.
## Pregnant women and newborns affected
Pennsylvania has confirmed sixty-six measles cases in pregnant women.One hundred fifty-seven cases have been recorded in children under the age of four.
## Risks of measles during pregnancy
Measles during pregnancy increases risk of hospitalization, pneumonia, need for oxygen support or mechanical ventilation, and death. It also increases risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, low birth weight, and preterm labor.
## Congenital measles symptoms and complications
Congenital measles symptoms include fever, jaundice, rash, low platelet counts, pneumonia, and neurologic complications. Long-term risks include immune amnesia and subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, a progressive fatal neurological disorder that can strike years after infection.
## Long-term monitoring and parental counseling needed
Babies with congenital measles need long-term clinical follow-up and monitoring for neurologic and immunologic complications. Parents need counseling on early signs of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, which include seizures, regression in milestones, and academic difficulties.
## Key takeaway

Pennsylvania's health department issued an alert Monday as measles cases in pregnant women and congenital measles in newborns surge, marking a return of a condition absent for decades.