In United States, a new trend is emerging, centered around C-sections, fuelled by anxieties over citizenship. At a maternity clinic in New Jersey, Dr SD Rama has seen a uptick in requests for preterm deliveries, a phenomenon linked to President Donald Trump’s January 20 proclamation calling for an end to birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment.
The majority of these requests come from Indian women in their eighth or ninth month of pregnancy, many of them asking for C-sections before February 20. Some are still a couple of months away from their due date. Dr Rama recounted an incident where a seven-month-pregnant woman and her husband came in requesting a preterm delivery, despite not being due until March.
The urgency to meet the February 20 deadline following which babies born to non-permanent residents will no longer automatically acquire citizenship has become a widespread concern among expectant families. Dr SG Mukkala, an obstetrician and gynaecologist in Texas, US, has been explaining to couples that while it may be possible, preterm births carry significant risks to both the mother and the baby.
“In the past two days, I have spoken to 15 to 20 couples regarding this,” she said, as mentioned by the report. With the green card backlog now stretching over a century, birthright citizenship had served as a crucial safety net for many, particularly Indian families working in the US. Varun, who, along with his wife Priya (names changed), moved to the US eight years ago on an H-1B visa, said that they are relying 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,” he said, according to the media reports. Priya, 34, is due to give birth in early March.
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