A US Senate hearing on abortion policy descended into a heated exchange after Republican Senator Josh Hawley repeatedly pressed Indian-American obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Nisha Verma on whether men can get pregnant, triggering a viral moment and a broader debate over biology, medicine and politics.
Dr Verma, a board-certified OB/GYN, was questioned during the hearing first by Senator Ashley Moody of Florida and later by Missouri Senator Josh Hawley. Both asked her directly: “Can men get pregnant?” Verma declined to give a yes-or-no answer, instead emphasising the diversity of patients she treats.
“I hesitated there because I wasn’t sure where the conversation was going or what the goal was,” Verma said. “I do take care of patients with different identities.”
Hawley Insists On ‘Biological Reality’
Hawley repeatedly framed the question as a matter of science rather than politics. “The goal is to establish a biological reality. This is about science and evidence. This is not a hypothetical question,” he said, pressing Verma to answer directly.
Recommended For You
When she resisted, Hawley accused her of avoiding basic facts. “You don’t even acknowledge the basic reality that biological men don’t get pregnant,” he said, questioning her credibility as a medical expert. “I don’t know how we can take you seriously and your claims to be a person of science.”
SPOILER ALERT: Men cannot get pregnant pic.twitter.com/08JwHUlxIj
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) January 14, 2026
At one point, Hawley stated for the record, “It’s women who get pregnant and not men,” arguing that the hearing was focused on women’s safety.
Doctor Pushes Back On Binary Framing
Verma countered that yes-or-no questions were being used as political tools. “Science and evidence should guide medicine,” she said, “but I also think yes-no questions like this are political tools that reduce complexity.”
She added that while she follows science, she also represents the lived realities of her patients, including people who do not identify as women but may still require reproductive healthcare. “I don’t think polarised language or questions serve that goal, or an American goal,” she said.
Political Reactions And Social Media Fallout
The exchange spread rapidly online, prompting reactions from across the political spectrum. Billionaire Elon Musk weighed in, writing, “It’s absurd that this question is even asked.” Senator Moody also posted clips of the hearing, reiterating the same question on X.
Who Is Dr Nisha Verma?
According to her official US Congress profile, Dr Nisha Verma was born in Greensboro, North Carolina, to Indian immigrant parents. She earned her degrees in Biology, Anthropology and Medicine from the University of North Carolina, completed her OB/GYN residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre, and later pursued a Complex Family Planning Fellowship and a Master’s in Public Health at Emory University. She currently practices reproductive healthcare in Georgia and is a fellow with Physicians for Reproductive Health.