Listen to Story An increasing number of Indian couples are opting for preterm delivery through C-section in the US, before the birthright citizenship deadline on February 20. Indian pregnant women are attempting preterm births in a race to give their babies US citizenship, after President Donald Trump's proclamation about terminating the Birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment. While women in their eighth or ninth month of pregnancy are asking doctors for C-sections , many others in the second or early third trimester are also exploring the same route, according to a Times of India report.
However, this rush to attempt caesarian or preterm birth surgery is being discouraged by doctors due to various health complications for both the mother and the child. WHY IS PRETERM BIRTH SURGERY NOT A GOOD IDEA? A preterm 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 Organisation (WHO), preterm birth complications are the leading cause of death among children under 5 years of age.
Dr Sandhya Rani, Senior Consultant, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Aster Women and Children Hospital, Whitefield, Bengaluru, said that doctors getting calls for preterm surgery should condemn the act as it hampers the health of both the mother and the child. Babies born prematurely face several health complications which are lifelong. "First of all, for a preterm birth, we cannot induce labour pa.