Ahead of the birthright citizenship deadline on February 20, a large number of Indian couples in the US are opting for premature delivery via C-section.

Following President Donald Trump’s announcement to end birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment, Indian pregnant women are attempting to give birth prematurely in a race to give their babies US citizenship.

According to a report in Times of India, while women in the eighth or ninth month of pregnancy are asking doctors for C-section, many other women in the second or beginning of the third trimester are also exploring the same route.

However, this haste to attempt caesarean or premature birth surgery is being discouraged by doctors due to various health complications for both the mother and the baby.

Why is premature birth surgery not a good idea?

Premature birth is defined as birth before 37 weeks of gestation, measured from the first day of the pregnant woman’s last menstrual period.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), premature birth complications are the leading cause of death in children under 5 years of age.

Dr Sandhya Rani, Senior Consultant, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Aster Women and Children’s Hospital, Whitefield, Bengaluru, said that doctors should condemn this act of getting a call for premature surgery as it is harmful for both the mother and the child. Affects health. Babies born prematurely face many health complications that last throughout their lives.

“First of all, for premature birth, we cannot induce labor, because the mother may not respond to medications because the body is not ready for it. If the surgery is cesarean, it increases complications. Because it is not easy to give birth, large incisions have to be made on the body. This can complicate the mother’s future pregnancy, causing high blood loss and sometimes, blood transfusion. also joins, ” Dr. Rani told India Today Digital.

A 2023 study in Frontiers in Pediatrics found that premature infants often experience respiratory distress syndrome, which occurs when the baby’s lungs are underdeveloped and unable to produce enough surfactant. , which helps keep the lungs open. In this case, babies require respiratory support to help them breathe, such as mechanical ventilation or non-invasive respiratory assistance.

Additionally, removing the baby from the mother can cause trauma to the baby.

“Even the placenta, which is the tissue connecting the mother to the baby, may not be ready to separate because it is a preterm delivery. So sometimes, we have to remove it manually and reattach it. The risk of blood loss increases during delivery,” Dr. Rani explained.

The expert said that unless there are legitimate medical reasons involved, giving birth prematurely will result in problems for the baby’s survival.

Dr Rani said, “Breastfeeding related problems also arise because the hormones are not yet active and sometimes, breast milk secretion does not occur immediately. Therefore babies are given formula milk, which again leads to infection. The probability increases.”

Additionally, preterm birth involves prolonged physical separation between mother and baby, which can be emotionally distressing for the mother.

Renowned laparoscopic surgeon and IVF specialist Dr Vaishali Sharma told India Today Digital that surgery for premature birth is very “painful”.

“The surgery is even more complicated and poses a higher risk to the mother, especially if she has had a cesarean before. We advise the mother to keep a gap of three years between two cesarean pregnancies, as this can lead to scar rupture Are.” Dr Sharma.

Another study noted that necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), which causes inflammation and damage to the intestines, can also affect premature infants. Neurological disorders including cerebral palsy, which affects movement and coordination, and developmental delays are also at higher risk in premature cesarean babies.

Other health problems include intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), which is a type of brain bleeding that can result in neurological complications.

What is birthright citizenship?

According to birthright citizenship, anyone born on US soil is automatically granted US citizenship, regardless of the citizenship or immigration status of their parents.

In one of the executive orders signed by Trump after taking office as President, he ended birthright citizenship in the US. Children born in the US to non-citizen parents until February 19, 2025 will be US citizens, but children born after February 20, 2025 will not be naturalized US citizens if neither parent is a US citizen.