Health experts warn against risks of preterm deliveries by Indians abroad amid citizenship law fears in US
preterm deliveries among immigrant families in the US, including Indians, reportedly driven by fears surrounding proposed changes to birthright citizenship laws. According to media reports, families are opting for early cesarean sections to ensure their children are born before the potential legal shift takes effect on February 20, putting maternal and neonatal health at significant risk.
Budget with ET
Budget 2025: A CFO’s playbook for operational excellence and long-term growth
Rising Bharat may need to take center stage for India’s game-changing plans
Will Indian Railways accelerate to global standards with govt’s budgetary allocation?
Poonam Muttreja, executive director of the Population Foundation of India, highlighted the unintended and harmful consequences of such rushed decisions.
«The trend, fuelled by fears around changes to birthright citizenship laws, puts both maternal and child health at significant risk. Premature babies face breathing problems, infections, developmental delays, and behavioral challenges, while mothers are at risk of infections, surgical complications, and long-term health issues,» she said, emphasizing the need for well-thought-out policy interventions to address such practices.
The fears stem from proposed changes that could affect the citizenship status of children born after February 20, according to media reports.
(Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates)
Seema Bhaskaran, the lead for Gender at Transform Rural India, explained that the economic and
