‘Pregnant people’ debate resurfaces as US awaits SCOTUS abortion decision

The debate over the use of the term “pregnant people” re-emerged after a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion revealed justices’ plans to overturn rulings protecting abortion rights. Proponents of the language change from pregnant women to pregnant people have said they aim to be inclusive, but critics contend the language does more harm than good. 

“I just love the fact that Republicans are complaining about briefs rather than the fact that women and ‘pregnant people’ will no longer be able to have rights,” California State Senator Sydney Kamlager (D) said in a video post on Twitter. 

“The rage I feel that women, and really men as well, families across the country, ‘pregnant people’ across the country feel with this idea that a 50-year-old question of settled law is being reversed,” Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) said on MSNBC. “This is so out of step with where the country is today.”

In addition to state and federal lawmakers, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also pivoted to using “pregnant people.” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky used the term during a Feb. 16 briefing on COVID-19 vaccinations and their effect on pregnancies.  

“I’m excited to share new evidence on the protective power of the vaccination of pregnant people and their babies,” Walensky said. 

According to a Frontiers in Global Women’s Health study, “desexing the language of female reproduction has been done with a view to being sensitive to individual needs and as beneficial, kind, and inclusive. Yet, this kindness has delivered unintended consequences that have serious implications for women and children. These include: decreasing overall inclusivity; dehumanizing; including people who should be excluded; being imprecise, inaccurate or misleading; and disembodying and undermining breastfeeding.”

Some progressive Democrats have even raised concerns about the change in terminology and how it could be off-putting to pregnant women. 

“For me, it’s not even like I don’t want to be inclusive, and I don’t want to think of transgender people,” Ana Kasparian, co-host of The Young Turks, said. “It’s the phrasing. It just makes you feel like a weird object. Like you’re just a vessel and nothing more. Like birthing people just sounds weird.”

Doctors at Contemporary OB/GYN, a monthly medical publication, disagree, saying the language change is necessary. 

“The first [reason for the language change] is to increase the belief in inclusion and decrease discrimination towards transgender people, specifically in the realm of pregnancy, transgender men,” Dr. Sarah Kilpatrick at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center said. “The second purpose is to be able to create more education and to learn more about transgender men and pregnancy so ultimately we can take care of them better.”

Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) pressed Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra on this matter during a June 21, 2021, Senate Finance Budget hearing. Lankford said HHS used the term “pregnant people” in its 2022 budget request. 

“We don’t want to offend in our language. I get that but will you at least admit calling a mom a birthing person could be offensive to some moms,” Lankford said.

“Senator, I’ll go back and look at the terminology used, and I can get back to you,” Becerra said. “Again, we’re trying to be precise in the language used.”

Lankford replied, “Mom’s a pretty good word. That’s worked for a while. I think that’s pretty precise as well.”