Fasting While Pregnant

02/04/2009| IslamWeb

Question:

After two and a half years of marriage, Allah has blessed me to become pregnant. I am now in my fifth month and have just discovered that I have twins in the same embryo sac and that they share one placenta. They are both healthy now, but the doctor told me that there is a high risk of malformation, damage, or death to both, or at least to one, of them. There is another risk facing them, which is that the umbilical cord of one of them might wrap around the neck of the other one and thus result in his death. The doctor is suggesting that I stay in the hospital when my thirtieth week starts and that she should deliver at the thirty second week. Is all she is telling me true? Here in the States, we fast from 5 am till 4:30 pm; will fasting affect my health or that of my twins?

Answer:

Assalaamu ‘Alaykum dear sister.

There are two types of twin pregnancy:

1.      Both fetuses in one embryo sac, and

2.      Each fetus in its separate embryo sac.

If both fetuses happen to be in the same sac, then there is a possible problem, as your doctor told you. It is usually recommended in such cases to deliver the mother by a C-section operation to avoid any complications. The doctor monitoring your case is the one who can best judge when to do the operation, but it is usually after the end of the thirtieth week of pregnancy. The doctor can judge by periodic examination and ultrasound, and if there is an indication of any problem, then the operation can be done earlier. However, if things go smoothly and everything looks normal throughout the periodic examination, then the operation can be delayed till week 35 or 36, to give the fetus enough time to grow normally inside the womb. If there is a need to run the operation early, then the mother can take Dexamethasone, which helps in the development of the respiratory system of the fetus.

As for fasting, Islam is a religion that gives exemptions at the time of need and never overburdens people with what they cannot handle. If you find it difficult to fast while pregnant and you fear for yourself or your fetus, then you may break your fast and make up these days later.