logo
Please note!
This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.
Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.

Can COVID vaccines cause birth defects when given to pregnant women?

By Sarah Thompson
NO

People on social media are making false claims — terrifying to prospective parents — that the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine can cause changes in the DNA of a baby she is carrying and result in a "mutant baby" born with extra limbs or other deformities.

Non-contemporaneous photos of real children with birth defects who were born years before the mRNA COVID vaccines and in one case, a picture of a baby with a photoshopped tail, are being used alongside these false claims.

However, the mRNA in COVID vaccines does not enter the nucleus of human cells, where the DNA is, and does not alter the DNA of the mother or her unborn baby. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not identified any safety concerns for pregnant people who were vaccinated or for their babies.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Lead Stories is a fact checking and debunking website at the intersection of big data and journalism that launched in 2015. It scouts for trending stories, images, videos and posts that contain false information in order to fact check them as quickly as possible. It actively monitors the fake-news ecosystem and doesn’t wait for reader tips or reports before getting started on a story.
FACT BRIEF BY
facebook
twitter
email
email