Dr. Anthony Fauci privately discussed concerns regarding COVID-19 mRNA vaccines for pregnant women in January 2021, including potential links between fever after a second dose and a theoretical risk of miscarriage in the first trimester, according to text messages released by Senate committees.
The exchange involved Fauci, then-CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, and Dr. Vivek Murthy, who would later become President Joe Biden's surgeon general. The messages were released Monday by Sens. Ron Johnson and Rand Paul.
Fauci stated that the significant cytokine-related symptoms and fever experienced by many after a second mRNA vaccine dose "theoretically could be associated with miscarriage in the 1st trimester." He was responding to an initial query from Murthy about whether there was a preferred timing for vaccination during pregnancy and if adverse outcomes had been observed in vaccinated pregnant individuals.
Fauci initially responded that there was no data or theoretical reason to suggest an earlier vaccination was preferable to a later one. He also addressed a misconception, stating that concerns about mRNA vaccines altering a person's genes were unfounded.
Later that same evening, Fauci raised the issue of evidence pointing to problems with the second shot for pregnant women. Walensky replied that it was "definitely a good point, esp after dose two." Murthy added that he had heard concerns about mRNA potentially causing mutations in a developing fetus and found Fauci's point about the post-second dose cytokine response to be "a really good point."
The following day, Murthy highlighted a World Health Organization recommendation from the time that advised against using Moderna's vaccine in pregnant women due to limited data. Fauci emphasized the need to balance potential vaccination risks against the risks posed by COVID-19 itself.
Fauci noted that over 10,000 pregnant women had already received the vaccine without reported issues. He also stated that guidance from the Food and Drug Administration, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists permitted pregnant women to choose vaccination, and that animal toxicology studies had not indicated any red flags.
Murthy expressed surprise at the WHO recommendation, warning that a strong recommendation against vaccination based on a lack of data could be "potentially quite damaging to public confidence among pregnant women." Walensky agreed and said she would raise the issue at an upcoming ACIP meeting.