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Fasting and Pregnancy
There is no one rule that fits everyone regarding the possibility of fasting for a pregnant woman, as each case is different from the other .
It does not depend on the mother's ability to fast only, but on her ability to meet her baby’s needs of important nutrients for growth. There are factors that may affect this, such as the nature of the pregnant woman's work or the country's conditions in terms of the number of fasting hours and the weather, so it is preferable to consult the doctor before deciding to fast.
In the first three months of pregnancy, women suffer from nausea and vomiting and have no appetite, making it difficult to eat large meals. In some cases, nausea and vomiting become so severe that they threaten the life of the fetus and require hospitalization. In this case, fasting becomes harmful to the mother and the fetus.
In cases where you do not suffer from nausea, it is better to eat small frequant meals scattered throughout the day, to maintain blood sugar levels for the benefit of the mother and the fetus. Hunger itself leads to nausea in the normal person (due to stomach acids) and the possibility of this happening increases in a pregnant woman who is fasting.
In the second trimester of pregnancy, nausea subsides, which enables the mother to eat at least two meals, and sometimes three meals. If she decides to fast, she must compensate for her need of fluids and nutrients, especially protein.
In the last third of pregnancy, the size and weight of the fetus increase, which puts pressure on the stomach and leads to heartburn. Therefore, the mother cannot eat large meals. Therefore, we prefer small, frequant scattered meals.
There are other medical reasons that may prevent a pregnant woman from fasting, such as suffering from a certain disease, and not taking certain medications on time will worsen the disease.
When should a pregnant woman break her fast?
When she feels very weak, vomits, or feels nausea, or feels painful contractions in the abdomen, or water comes out or bleeding, or if the fetal movement decreases.
When is a pregnant woman prohibited from fasting? Gestational diabetes. Severe vomiting, uncontrolled blood pressure. A pregnant woman who suffers from premature labor pain, and any pregnant woman who has treatments that must be adhered to and at a specific time.
Is the fetus affected when the mother fasts?
Fasting during the month of Ramadan is not harmful to the fetus if the mother is in good health, because the fetus acquires the nutrients it needs from the mother’s stores (as long as the pregnancy is not high-risk and the mother does not suffer from any disease that requires her not to fast).
