 "Birthright citizenship guarantees that anyone born in the United States automatically acquires American citizenship. Reuters/File Photo/Representational Image")
Doctors and gynaecologists in the United States have observed a sharp rise in pregnant Indian women requesting caesarean sections to allow preterm deliveries of their babies.
Indian couples are increasingly contacting doctors and visiting maternity clinics seeking C-sections.
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An Indian-origin gynaecologist said that he had received calls from nearly 20 such couples.
But what is causing this surge in preterm C-sections among Indians in the US?
Let’s find out:
Why Indian couples in the US are rushing for C-sections
To beat President Donald Trump’s deadline for ending birthright citizenship.
One of the executive orders Trump signed shortly after assuming office was ending birthright citizenship in the United States. As a result, children born in the US until February 19 will automatically acquire American citizenship.
However, children born to non-citizen couples after February 19 will not qualify as natural-born American citizens.
Simply put, children born before the deadline will be granted citizenship, while those born after will not - subject to one crucial condition. They will only gain citizenship if at least one parent is already a citizen or holds a Green Card. If not, they will be required to leave the US when they turn 21.
About a million Indians are currently caught in a backlog of pending applications, with no clarity on whether, or when, these applications will be processed, or the queue shortened.
Dr SD Rama, who is based in New Jersey, told The Times of India that most women seeking caesareans are in their eighth or ninth month of pregnancy.
“A seven-month pregnant woman came with her husband to sign up for a preterm delivery. She isn’t due until sometime in March,” Dr Rama told the publication on Wednesday.
Another expert, Dr SG Mukkala, an obstetrician and gynaecologist practising in Texas, said he has been warning similarly anxious couples about the risks associated with preterm births.
Dr Mukkala told TOI, “I am trying to tell couples that even if it is possible, a preterm birth poses significant risk to mother and child. Complications include underdeveloped lungs, feeding problems, low birth weight, neurological complications and more.”
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For Indians, the executive order primarily affects children of parents living in the US on work visas. These children may face deportation unless their parents have citizenship or Green Cards.
The policy’s implications extend to entire families, as many parents are likely to return to India with their children if they are unable to secure citizenship. Trump addressed this issue, stating, “I don’t want to break up families”, but added, “The only way you don’t… (is by) sending them all back”.
‘We are terrified of the uncertainty’
The backlog for Green Cards has now stretched to a century, and for many, birthright citizenship in the US offered a sense of hope.
Priya, who is due to give birth in March, told TOI, “We were counting on our child being born here. We’ve been waiting for our Green Cards for six years. This was the only way to ensure stability for our family. We are terrified of the uncertainty.”
A 28-year-old finance professional said the deadline would derail his plans if his dependant wife gave birth to their first child after it.
“We sacrificed so much to come here. Now, it feels like the door is closing on us,” the H-1B holder told the publication.
For undocumented immigrants, the policy change carries even more serious consequences.
A man living in California for the past eight years after entering the US illegally said he and his seven-month pregnant wife felt “crushed” by the Trump administration’s rapid enforcement of the deadline.
“We thought of seeking asylum, but then my wife got pregnant, and our lawyer suggested that we get direct citizenship through our child. Now, we are all at sea,” he told TOI.
The American Dream is facing a new challenge with Trump’s move to end birthright citizenship, leading many couples to consider C-sections - all with February 20 firmly on their minds.
What is birthright citizenship?
Birthright citizenship guarantees that anyone born in the United States automatically acquires American citizenship.
This long-standing policy applies to children born to individuals in the country illegally, as well as to those on tourist or student visas who intend to return to their home country.
The Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment, added to the Constitution in 1868, states: “All persons born or naturalised in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”
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Why preterm birth surgery is usually not recommended
Dr Sandhya Rani, Senior Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Aster Women and Children Hospital, Whitefield, Bengaluru, told India Today that doctors receiving requests for preterm surgeries should discourage them, as such procedures can harm both the mother and the baby. Prematurely born infants often face health complications that can last a lifetime.
Dr Astha Dayal, Director of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, told TOI, “As gynaecologists, we always try to prevent a premature delivery unless it is absolutely essential for the health of the mother or baby. Preterm delivery can have significant short-term and long-term consequences for the baby.”
A 2023 study published in Frontiers in Pediatrics found that premature infants often undergo respiratory distress syndrome, a condition where the baby’s underdeveloped lungs cannot produce enough surfactant, a substance critical for keeping the lungs open.
Delivering a baby prematurely can also cause trauma to the infant. Moreover, the extended physical separation between the mother and baby after a preterm birth can be emotionally difficult for the mother.
Trump’s order restricting birthright citizenship blocked
Seattle-based US District Judge John Coughenour has temporarily blocked Trump’s executive order, calling it “blatantly unconstitutional” during the first hearing of a multi-state challenge to the order.
The executive order faced immediate legal opposition nationwide, with 22 states and several immigrants’ rights groups filing at least five lawsuits. A suit led by Washington, Arizona, Oregon, and Illinois was the first to reach a hearing.
“I’ve been on the bench for over four decades. I can’t remember another case where the question presented was as clear as this one is,” Coughenour told a Justice Department attorney.
“This is a blatantly unconstitutional order.”
This ruling prevents the Trump administration from proceeding with the implementation of the executive order for 14 days, during which both sides will present further arguments on the merits of the order.
With inputs from agencies