Why 'can men get pregnant' is trending after Senate hearing about abortion pills

The question 'can men get pregnant' is trending after a Senate debate over abortion medication appeared to swerve off-course.

A US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions held a hearing on abortion pills and their safety on Wednesday (January 14), in the Republicans' continued efforts to limit abortion access nationwide.

Missouri Senator Josh Hawley was among those taking part, but spent his allotted time asking medical witnesses whether men can get pregnant. He asked the same question upwards of 10 times, as per reports.

Several witnesses were called, including Dr. Nisha Verma, a double-board certified obstetrician-gynecologist who provides reproductive healthcare in multiple states. She has previously appeared before Congress to testify on abortion restrictions and is currently involved in research into how Georgia’s six-week abortion ban affects high-risk pregnancies, according to the Times of India.

But it was Florida Senator Ashley Moody who first asked Dr. Verma whether men can get pregnant.

Initially, Dr. Verma paused before responding, saying she treats patients with different gender identities. She did not give a direct yes or no answer. Other witnesses answered 'no.'

Committee chair Senator Bill Cassidy later stated that men cannot have babies.

Then, it was Hawley's turn, who continued the same line of questioning.

Addressing Dr. Verma, he said: "I wasn’t sure I understood your answer to Senator Moody a moment ago," he continued. "Do you think that men can get pregnant?”

Dr. Verma said she hesitated because she was unsure of the 'goal' of the question and reiterated that she provides care to patients with a range of identities.

Hawley continued: "Well, the goal is the truth, so can men get pregnant?”

“Again,” Dr. Verma said, “the reason I pause there is I’m not really sure what the goal of the question is-”

Hawley cut her off with: “The goal is just to establish a biological reality.”

The exchange lasted several minutes, with Hawley repeatedly cutting Dr. Verma off with 'can men get pregnant?'

At one point, Hawley said he was 'trying to test, frankly,' Dr. Verma’s 'veracity as a medical professional and as a scientist.'

“I thought we were past all of this, frankly," he added.

'Can men get pregnant?' has since become the most discussed moment of the hearing, and has gone viral on social media.

The first US Senate health committee hearing of the year was actually intended to discuss how safe and effective the prescription-only abortion pill mifepristone is.

Mifepristone is a pill commonly used with another drug, misoprostol, either to end an early pregnancy or to treat an early miscarriage.

The FDA approved a generic version in 2019, making it more widely available, reports ABC News.

During the two-hour hearing, Republican lawmakers focused on restricting telehealth abortions, where the medication is prescribed remotely and mailed to patients rather than provided in person.

Republicans argued the drug carries risks and should require face-to-face medical visits, while Democrats accused them of using safety concerns as a way to control women’s reproductive choices rather than protect health.