02/16/2026
After my son died following his routine infant vaccinations in 2011, I embarked on an intensive search for answers and reliable information about potential contributing factors.
Resources were far more limited back then than they are today, but one of the earliest and most impactful voices I encountered was Marcella Piper-Terry.
With her extensive collection of raw data, peer-reviewed study links, and straightforward analysis, she quickly became a key resource.
Marcella has been a leading advocate for health freedom and informed consent for decades—long before many in the conversation today were aware of these issues.
For countless parents, including myself, she has served as a mentor in both activism and personal health decision-making.
She originally published this comprehensive article in 2016 on her VaxTruth platform, but I noticed yesterday that she has thoughtfully revised and updated it with additional current information, making it even more relevant now.
A question I receive frequently on this page is: "Where can I find trustworthy, in-depth information about vaccines?"
People's needs differ—some seek broad overviews, others specific studies or personal stories—but I can confidently recommend Marcella's piece as essential reading. It's one you'll want to bookmark, reference often, and share with others.
Titled "Dear Pregnant Mom who is Just Beginning to Question Vaccines," the article is written as a compassionate, detailed letter to expectant mothers who are starting to question routine vaccine recommendations.
Marcella offers practical guidance on navigating information overload: focus on sources with direct citations to original studies, avoid sensationalized or self-referencing content, and always scrutinize potential conflicts of interest—such as those tied to supplement sales or the CDC's financial stake in vaccine patents and recommendations (which she compares to relying on a biased salesperson).
She stresses the importance of individual variability, including genetic factors, family histories of autoimmunity, and epigenetic changes from prior exposures.
For example, she discusses how mercury (Thimerosal, still present in some multi-dose flu shots) can act as a mutagen, potentially altering DNA expression across generations and increasing vulnerability in children—citing elevated autism rates among children of highly vaccinated populations, like military families (1 in 67 in 2007 compared to the general 1 in 150 rate at the time).
She also highlights the synergistic risks of combining mercury with aluminum adjuvants, which are used to boost immune responses but may trigger excessive reactions in susceptible individuals.
The core of the article walks through key decisions in chronological order: vaccines recommended during pregnancy (influenza, Tdap, and now including COVID-19 mRNA and RSV shots), RhoGAM for Rh-negative mothers (not a vaccine but often administered with limited discussion of risks like blood clots or autoimmune issues), and newborn interventions (Hepatitis B, Vitamin K shot).
Among the detailed concerns she covers:
• The flu shot: A reported 4,250% increase in fetal death reports to VAERS following its recommendation for pregnant women, alongside studies linking it to higher risks of miscarriage, autism, and neurodevelopmental issues in children.
• Tdap: A JAMA study associating it with elevated chorioamnionitis (placental infection) risk, plus personal accounts of stillbirths occurring shortly after administration (e.g., at 28 weeks); manufacturer inserts and supporting evidence also indicate that Tdap during pregnancy does not prevent pertussis transmission, as vaccinated individuals can still carry and spread the bacteria, potentially limiting the "cocooning" benefit.
• COVID-19 mRNA vaccines: Critiques of flawed CDC safety studies, expert warnings (including from an MIT scientist), and reports of adverse outcomes in forced-vaccination scenarios.
• RSV vaccine: Trials halted by GSK due to a statistically significant increase in preterm births, yet FDA approval for Pfizer's version proceeded despite similar emerging concerns in post-approval data reinforcing preterm delivery risks.
• Intergenerational and neurodevelopmental risks: Higher rates of autism observed in children of highly vaccinated populations, such as military families (1 in 67 in 2007 compared to the general 1 in 150 rate at the time), potentially linked to epigenetic changes from parental exposures like Thimerosal mercury altering DNA expression and increasing vulnerability in subsequent generations.
• Broader VAERS context: Extensive documentation of fetal demise cases (stillbirths and miscarriages) temporally linked to vaccination in pregnancy, including third-party reports highlighting underreported in-utero effects across multiple vaccines recommended during gestation.
Marcella shares her own background—a Master's in psychology with research experience, whose path shifted after her daughter's severe vaccine reaction—and encourages independent verification.
She provides an extensive list of resources, including books like "Dissolving Illusions" (illustrating disease declines predating widespread vaccination), videos from experts like Dr. Suzanne Humphries on aluminum toxicity and RFK Jr. on Thimerosal, NVIC reports, Physicians for Informed Consent statements, and direct links to VAERS data analysis.
Motherhood involves many challenging decisions that profoundly impact our children's well-being.
I hope this updated article from Marcella equips you with the clarity and evidence needed to approach those choices with greater confidence and peace of mind.
🔗 Read it on Marcella's Substack: https://marcellapiperterry.substack.com/p/dear-pregnant-mom-who-is-just-beginning
