An Indian origin obstetrician and gynaecologist, Dr Nisha Verma, has gone viral following her exchange with US senators during a Senate hearing on abortion, where she declined to give a direct yes or no answer to the question of whether men can become pregnant.
Dr Verma was testifying before the Senate HELP Committee during a hearing titled “Protecting Women: Exposing the Dangers of Chemical Abortion Drugs.” The moment drew attention after Senator Josh Hawley questioned her about a similar exchange she had earlier with Senator Ashley Moody.
Referring to that earlier interaction, Hawley asked Verma, “Do you think men can get pregnant?”
Instead of responding with a straightforward answer, Verma explained her hesitation. “I hesitated there… of how the conversation was going or what the goal was,” she said, adding, “I do take care of patients with different identities.”
Hawley pushed back, saying, “The goal is to establish a biological reality. This is about science and evidence. This is not a hypothetical question.”
Verma replied, “Science and evidence should guide medicine. But I also think yes or no questions like this are political tools.”
The senator continued to press her for a direct response. “You are called by the other side as an expert, and you are a doctor and you follow the science and evidence. Just want to know based on the evidence. Can men get pregnant? That's a yes or no question,” Hawley said.
He later added, “You don't even acknowledge the basic reality that biological men don't get pregnant. There is a difference between biological men and biological women. I don't know how we can take you seriously and your claims to be a person of science.”
Throughout the exchange, Hawley repeatedly asked, “Can men get pregnant?”
Clips of the hearing quickly spread on social media, prompting a wave of reactions. Billionaire Elon Musk also weighed in, saying, “It’s absurd that this question is even asked.”
Dr Verma is a double board certified OB GYN and a subspecialist in complex family planning. During the hearing, she emphasised that medical abortion is safe and effective.
According to Academy Health, a non partisan organisation focused on health services and policy research, Verma currently serves as the Senior Advisor for Reproductive Health Policy and Advocacy at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. She is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Emory University School of Medicine.
Born in North Carolina to Indian immigrant parents, Verma holds an MD from the University of North Carolina and a Master of Public Health degree from Emory University. She also has a bachelor’s degree in biology and anthropology. She completed her internship and residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
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