Fauci Text Release Revives False Claims Linking COVID-19 Vaccine, Miscarriages
FlatRigor 559 sources
The Story
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.
The Spread
Flat
What they agree on
- False claims linking COVID-19 vaccination to an 82% miscarriage rate are circulating online.
- These claims misinterpret data from a 2021 study.
- Dr. Anthony Fauci's apparent text message from January 2021 is at the center of the claims.
- Studies consistently show that COVID-19 vaccines do not increase miscarriage risk.
Where they split
- Agence France-Presse (AFP) and CNN focus on the spread of false claims online and the faulty interpretation of data.
- Snopes provides a detailed fact-check, rating the claim as false and explaining the context of Fauci's text and the misinterpreted study.
- The 19th* highlights Senator Ron Johnson's role in reviving the inaccurate theory as part of a Senate investigation.
Source Perspectives
Left3 sources
Right1 source