Doctor’s Viral Senate Testimony: “Biologically, Men Cannot Get Pregnant”
A US Senate hearing exchange between a Republican senator and a doctor has gone viral, sparking widespread discussion on gender terminology and reproductive rights.
Key Takeaways
- Dr Nisha Verma, an obstetrician-gynaecologist, testified that men cannot get pregnant biologically.
- The viral exchange centred on the use of the term “pregnant people” versus “women.”
- The hearing examined reproductive rights after the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
The Viral Exchange
The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing titled “The Assault on Reproductive Rights in a Post-Dobbs America.” Republican Senator John Kennedy directly asked Dr Nisha Verma, “Can men get pregnant?”
Dr Verma responded, “So, men cannot get pregnant. I think when we’re talking about pregnant people, we’re talking about a spectrum of gender.”
When pressed for a yes-or-no answer, she clarified, “So, biologically, men cannot get pregnant.”
The senator then asked if the phrase “pregnant people” referred to women. Dr Verma explained, “We’re referring to women and other people who can get pregnant, like trans men.”
Senator Kennedy concluded, “So, you’re referring to women and some trans men?” to which Dr Verma confirmed, “Yes.”
Who Is Dr Nisha Verma?
Dr Nisha Verma is a Darney-Landy Fellow at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), specialising in complex family planning. She provides clinical care at the Women’s Health Center at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta and teaches medical students and residents.
Her professional focus includes abortion care, contraception, and advocacy for reproductive rights.
Context of the Hearing
The hearing primarily examined the impact of the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which had protected the constitutional right to abortion for nearly five decades.
