MMR library
MMR and risk
Side effects of the disease vs side effects of the vaccine
This chart uses the most accurate scientific data to compare the risks of giving your child MMR with the risks of them catching measles:
| Condition | Children affected after catching measles | Children affected after the first dose of MMR |
|---|---|---|
| Convulsions | 1 in 200 | 1 in 1000 |
| Meningitis or encephalitis | 1 in 200 to 1 in 5000 | Less than 1 in a million |
| SSPE(A delayed complication of measles that causes brain damage and death.) | 1 in 8000 for children under 2 | 0 |
| Death | 1 in 2500 to 1 in 5000 depending on age | 0 |
- Introduction
- The risks of diseases
- Side effects of the disease vs side effects of the vaccine
- How do we know the vaccine is safe?
- Why should we trust the government on the safety of the MMR vaccine - look at BSE?
- What do these symptoms look like?
- The MMR vaccine has been linked to some serious illnesses. What are the risks to my child if I go ahead with MMR immunisation?
- The risks: Asthma
- The risks: Autism
- The risks: Crohn's disease
- The risks: Guillain Barré Syndrome
- The risks: Inflamatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
- The risks: Mumps meningitis
- The risks: Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE)