Do COVID vaccines harm future babies?

In a video online, the McCullough Foundation claims that vaccines given years ago can cause babies now to die.

Here’s the bottom line: one part is true, the rest is unsupported or false.

1. “CDC data shows babies born are now dying at a >50% excess rate.”
   This is not true. CDC data does not show a 50% increase in infant deaths. The numbers changed only a little from 2020 to 2024. There was a small rise from 2021 to 2022, but no big increase after that. Overall, infant death rates have stayed fairly stable.
2. “Mississippi just declared a public health emergency over rising infant deaths.”
   This is true. In August 2025, Mississippi declared an emergency because infant deaths had gone up. The state reported a rate of 9.7 deaths per 1,000 births in 2024, which is the highest in over 10 years.
3. “Mississippi linked this to mRNA vaccine effects passed to babies.”
   This is not true. Mississippi’s report does not mention vaccines or mRNA. It says the main causes are birth defects, babies being born too early or too small, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and other health issues. The state is focusing on better care for mothers and babies.
4. “Infant death rates had been going down for 30 years but suddenly reversed after 2021 and keep rising.”
   This is false. Infant death rates have mostly gone down since the 1990s. There was a small increase from 2021 to 2022, but rates did not keep rising after that. They stayed about the same in 2023 and 2024.
5. “The causes of infant deaths match those seen in vaccinated adults.”
   There is no evidence for this. The main causes of infant deaths are things like birth defects, early birth, low weight, SIDS, injuries, and problems during pregnancy. These are common causes and are not linked to vaccines.
6. “A study proved that mRNA from vaccines passes to babies and causes deaths.”
   This is not proven. The study mentioned was small and looked only at placental tissue, not overall death rates. The researchers said they did not find a clear link to health outcomes. Other studies have mixed results, but none show that vaccines cause infant deaths.
7. What larger studies show about vaccination during pregnancy
   Large studies do not show that vaccines cause harm to babies. One large study found no increase in health problems in newborns and even showed lower risk for some serious issues.