The Senate releases transcripts in which Fauci acknowledges the theoretical risk of miscarriage following the second dose of COVID-19 vaccines

A set of private communications, obtained from the official phone of Anthony Fauci, the face of the government's medical response to COVID-19, reveals internal discussions about the potential adverse effects of mRNA vaccines on pregnant women, a population group on which significant institutional pressure was exerted to be vaccinated.

Republican Senators Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Rand Paul of Kentucky made Fauci's January 2021 text messages public.

The messages reveal a series of interactions between Fauci, the then-director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Rochelle Walensky, and Vivek Murthy, who would later serve as Surgeon General under Joe Biden's administration.

Private admissions vs. the policy of informed consent

The messaging exchange reveals a facet of scientific deliberation that remained outside the public debate.

At the start of the mass vaccination effort, Murthy asked whether there were grounds to prioritize vaccination during a specific stage of pregnancy or whether any adverse effects had been documented in this particular group.

Although Fauci initially ruled out any basis for prioritizing certain trimesters, hours later, he issued an explicit warning about the side effects associated with the second dose of the vaccine.

The former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases admitted verbatim in the chat that, because many individuals develop severe symptoms related to cytokines and fever after receiving the second dose, that specific reaction "theoretically could be associated with a miscarriage in the first trimester."

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky endorsed the observation, calling it a valid point and adding that it was "definitely a good point, especially after the second dose."

Murthy echoed the concerns, noting that Fauci's explanation regarding the cytokine-triggered immune response was "a really good point."

Concerns about the impact on public opinion

Legislative documents reveal the level of concern generated by external entities' positions. When the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a recommendation advising against the use of the Moderna vaccine in pregnant women due to a lack of conclusive data, U.S. officials focused on the impact on communications.

Murthy warned that the WHO's position could be "quite damaging to public confidence among pregnant women." Fauci, for his part, argued that the potential risks of the vaccine should be weighed against the dangers of the virus itself, noting that thousands of women had already been vaccinated with no immediate reports of adverse effects.

Senator Ron Johnson emphasized in an official statement that the content of the disclosed messages "could have an immediate impact on public health and the principle of informed consent."

The Senate committee's team continues to review the massive volume of 34,000 text messages and 522 voice messages submitted, clarifying that it is still "too early to determine whether any data has been deleted" by the health authorities involved.