08/31/2026
For those with questions about the Pennsylvania measles death :
The mother contracted measles during her pregnancy, resulting in severe illness. Subsequently, the baby was born prematurely and unfortunately passed away shortly after birth.
"About a month ago, John and Anna became aware that measles was spreading in their community. At last count, Lancaster County has recorded 210 cases so far this year. Besides John, no one in the family had been vaccinated against the virus. John told me heâd heard from someone that this strain of measles wasnât dangerous for pregnant women, but he wasnât sure whether to believe it. (In fact, measles, regardless of the strain, can cause serious pregnancy complications.) Anna, who was pregnant, worried about the effect measles might have on her baby, but she didnât think she could avoid being exposed. âI saw we canât even get away from it because so many people have it,â she told me. Even if Anna had wanted to get vaccinated then, it would have been too late: The CDC recommends against giving the vaccine to pregnant women.
Sure enough, a few weeks ago, one of John and Annaâs older children got sick. The rest of them soon followed. Two of the children became dehydrated and required IVs. Anna became extremely ill, at one point spiking a fever of 102 degrees. She struggled to hold down food and fluids. For days, she could speak only in a whisper. On August 13, she was taken to a clinic to get an IV for dehydration.
The next day, she went into labor. Anna remembers being very weak. âI didnât have a single piece of energy,â she told me. The baby was delivered at a birthing center by the same midwife who had attended the births of Annaâs other children and, remarkably, Annaâs own birth. The baby, who weighed seven pounds, was born a little after 5 p.m. on August 14. They knew right away that something was wrong: He had a pulse, but he wasnât breathing. The midwife contacted paramedics, who arrived within minutes. John recalled them giving the newborn oxygen and gentle chest compressions with two thumbs, to no avail. It was all over in less than half an hour. The paramedics told them that the county coroner would need to be contacted to take the body.
As John and Anna spoke with me, one of their sons, who recently turned 1, played with a toy horse and buggy while one of their daughters bounced an orange ball against the table. Anna and John were somber but matter-of-fact about their sonâs death. âThereâs nothing we can do about it,â Anna told me. John said he viewed the tragedy as part of Godâs plan, and pointed out that other parents lose children too. âI guess he chose us this time,â he told me.
Neither John nor Anna has strong feelings about vaccination. Anna told me she wasnât sure why her parents didnât get her any shots. Choosing not to immunize their children wasnât a political statement, and they didnât make the decision after extensive research. They just didnât do it."
The family at the center of Pennsylvaniaâs measles controversy tells their story.
