Who Is Nisha Verma, The Indian-Origin Doctor Grilled By US Senators During Abortion Hearing?

Last Updated:January 16, 2026, 11:57 IST

Dr Nisha Verma, an Indian-American doctor, gained attention at a US Senate hearing on abortion pills for her response to questions on "male pregnancy" and reproductive healthcare.

Dr Nisha Verma was born to Indian immigrant parents in North Carolina. (Image: X)

An Indian-American doctor has come under the spotlight for her response to a question on “male pregnancy" during a US Senate hearing on abortion pills. Dr Nisha Verma, who provides reproductive healthcare in Georgia and Massachusetts, faced questions from Senators Ashley Moody and Josh Hawley about whether men could become pregnant.

Verma was testifying before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee on the safety and regulation of the abortion pill mifepristone, addressing issues such as potential misuse or coercion.

When asked whether men could “get pregnant", she did not give a simple yes-or-no answer. Explaining her hesitation, she said it depended on “how the conversation was going or what the goal was," noting that she treats patients across a range of gender identities.

Senator Hawley pressed that the question was about biological facts, asserting that men do not get pregnant, to which Verma replied: “Science and evidence should guide medicine. But I also think yes or no questions like this are political tools."

Who Is Nisha Verma?

Born in Greensboro, North Carolina, to Indian immigrant parents, Verma pursued a bachelor’s degree in biology and anthropology before earning her medical degree (MD) from the University of North Carolina. She completed her OB/GYN (Obstetrics and Gynaecology) residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and went on to finish a Complex Family Planning Fellowship, alongside earning a Master of Public Health (MPH) from Emory University.

Verma is double-board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology, with a subspecialty in complex family planning. She practices comprehensive reproductive healthcare in Georgia and serves as a fellow with Physicians for Reproductive Health. In addition, she is Senior Advisor for Reproductive Health Policy and Advocacy at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and holds an academic appointment as Adjunct Assistant Professor at Emory University School of Medicine.

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