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A US Senate hearing on abortion pill safety triggered a heated debate after Republican Senator Josh Hawley asked whether men can get pregnant. Indian-origin OB-GYN Dr. Nisha Verma declined to give a direct yes-or-no answer, citing gender identity and patient complexity.
US Senate Hearing Sparks Controversy Over Question on Male Pregnancy
New Delhi: A question recently resonated in the US Senate, bringing together science, politics, and gender identity debates. The question was: Can men get pregnant? This debate intensified when, during a crucial parliamentary hearing, Indian-origin doctor Nisha Verma refused to answer the question with a direct "yes" or "no." A video of the entire incident is rapidly going viral on social media.
This matter relates to a hearing by the US Senate's Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. The main topic of the hearing was the safety and medical effects of the abortion pill mifepristone. During the hearing, Republican Senator Josh Hawley repeatedly questioned OB-GYN Dr. Nisha Verma, who was testifying, about whether men can get pregnant.
Dr. Nisha Verma appeared uncomfortable with this question and avoided a clear "yes" or "no," saying that she treats patients who don't identify as women. She added that such questions are often used as a political weapon. According to Dr. Verma, medical science should be understood in light of patients' complex experiences and identities, rather than limited to a single line.
However, she also did not clarify whether biologically men can become pregnant, which further deepened the controversy.
Dr. Nisha Verma is a renowned obstetrician and gynecologist in the United States. She is associated with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and has worked on reproductive health issues in several states. She has previously testified before Congress on abortion laws.
Senator Josh Hawley expressed displeasure with the doctor's response, stating that he was not discussing any ideological debate, but rather a biological truth. He stated that pregnancy is a biological process inherent to women, and that men cannot become pregnant. Hawley also alleged that ignoring basic biological facts undermines the credibility of science.
The debate wasn't limited to gender. Hawley claimed that abortion pills cause serious side effects in 11 percent of cases. Dr. Verma stated that more than 100 scientific studies have been conducted on abortion drugs, and millions of women have used them safely.
This debate has once again highlighted the ongoing conflict between gender, science, and politics in America.
