Fauci Text Release Revives False Claims Linking COVID-19 Vaccine, Miscarriages

False claims linking COVID-19 vaccination to an 82% miscarriage rate among pregnant women who received an mRNA vaccine in their first trimester are circulating online in August 2026.

These claims allege Dr. Anthony Fauci, who helped lead the United States' COVID-19 response, covered up data. Senators Rand Paul and Ron Johnson released an apparent text message from Fauci, dated January 2021, stating the second COVID-19 shot theoretically could be associated with miscarriage in the 1st trimester. Anti-vaccine advocates used this text to claim Fauci knew the vaccine could harm pregnancies but still advised vaccination.

The 82% figure stems from a misinterpretation of a 2021 study. Multiple studies have consistently shown that the rate of miscarriage among vaccinated women aligns with rates in the broader population. Fact-checking organizations determined in 2021 that the 82% statistic was a gross misrepresentation of data. Fauci's text message was dated before researchers completed data collection for the study. Senator Ron Johnson revived the inaccurate theory as part of a Senate investigation into Fauci.