Newly Released Fauci Texts Reveal Private Concern Over Theoretical Miscarriage Risk From COVID Vaccine

Newly released text messages from Dr. Anthony Fauci’s government-issued phone show that he privately discussed a theoretical risk of miscarriage associated with the second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine during the early months of the vaccination campaign.

Republican Sens. Ron Johnson and Rand Paul released the messages Monday as part of their continuing investigation into Fauci’s handling of the COVID pandemic. The texts were exchanged in January 2021 between Fauci, then-CDC Director Rochelle Walensky and Vivek Murthy, who later became President Joe Biden’s surgeon general.

The conversation began after Murthy asked whether there was any reason pregnant women should receive the vaccine earlier or later in pregnancy. He also asked whether officials had observed adverse outcomes among pregnant women who had already been vaccinated.

Fauci initially responded that there was no evidence suggesting vaccination should occur at one particular point during pregnancy. Later, however, he raised another issue he believed Walensky and Murthy should know about involving the immune response some people experienced following their second dose.

Fauci wrote that because some vaccine recipients experienced significant inflammatory responses and fever after their second shot, such a reaction “theoretically could be associated with miscarriage in the 1st trimester.” Walensky responded that it was a good point, particularly following the second dose.

The newly released messages have attracted attention because Fauci was also publicly reassuring Americans about vaccination during pregnancy. In the same private discussion, however, Fauci emphasized that the concern was theoretical and said more than 10,000 pregnant women had already received vaccines without reported safety problems.

The officials also discussed guidance from the World Health Organization concerning Moderna’s vaccine. Murthy expressed surprise over the WHO’s recommendation against routinely vaccinating pregnant women at the time because of limited available data, warning that the guidance could damage public confidence.

Fauci argued that officials needed to weigh any potential vaccine risks against the dangers COVID itself posed to pregnant women. He pointed to existing guidance from federal health agencies and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists allowing pregnant women to choose vaccination after considering the available information.

Johnson and Paul obtained Fauci’s government-issued phone as part of their congressional investigations. According to Johnson’s office, the device contains more than 34,000 text messages and 522 voicemails, meaning lawmakers still have a substantial amount of material to review.

The release adds another layer to the ongoing congressional scrutiny surrounding Fauci’s pandemic-era decisions and public messaging. Republicans investigating the former government health official are now examining whether concerns discussed privately among senior health officials were adequately communicated to the American public as the federal government promoted COVID vaccination.