Pregnant Muslim women may be religiously exempt from fasting during the Islamic month of Ramadan, especially if there is concern for undue hardship or harm to maternal or fetal health. However, several studies demonstrate that most women still choose to fast during pregnancy and avoid discussing fasting with their providers. Pregnant Muslim women may be religiously exempt from fasting during the Islamic month of Ramadan, especially if there is concern for undue hardship or harm to maternal or fetal health. However, several studies demonstrate that most women still choose to fast during pregnancy and avoid discussing fas To that end, this commentary seeks to (1) summarize the data on the effects of fasting during Ramadan in pregnancy and (2) provide obstetricians (and other perinatal care providers) a framework for counseling and making recommendations to Muslim pregnant patients considering fasting (Box 1). Although pregnant women are exempt from this Islamic law, the majority nevertheless choose to fast. This review aims to identify the effects of Ramadan fasting on the offspring of Muslim mothers, particularly on fetal growth, birth indices, cognitive effects and long-term effects. Although exempt, many pregnant Muslim women partake in the daily fast during daylight hours during the month of Ramadan. In other contexts an impoverished diet during pregnancy impacts on birth weight. The aim of this systematic review was to determine whether Ramadan fasting by pregnant women affects perinatal outcomes. Pregnant women with spontaneous conception and singleton pregnancies, who fasted for seven or more days, were cases, and those who did not fast were taken as controls. Questionnaire was filled regarding perception of women about maternal fasting. Results show that strict adherence to fasting in Ramadan during the first trimester was associated with a 270g lower birthweight. However, if Ramadan was in the second or third trimesters, fasting did not affect birthweights. Fasting for Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women: Islamic Rulings and Guidance . Fasting during the holy month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam and is a deeply spiritual act of worship that brings Muslims closer to Allah (SWT). However, while fasting is obligatory for all healthy adult Muslims, Islam provides exceptions for certain Break the fast in moderation. The daily fast’s duration can vary by location depending on the hours of daylight. Experts say to take it easy and listen to the body while fasting. Elfakhani tries to slow down during the day in between teaching stints and catches up on work after the evening iftar meal. Data should be collected on the duration of fasting (hours/day), length of fasting (in days), season of fasting, and trimester in which fasting occurs so that researchers can investigate the potential effect of Ramadan fasting on pregnancy and birth outcomes in a dose–response fashion. Fasting and pregnancy . Islamic rulings say that you are not expected to fast during Ramadan if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. But when you are used to fasting every year, and family or friends around you are fasting, it’s understandable to feel like you are missing out. Choosing not to fast can keep both you and your baby well and safe. In Islam, the month of Ramadan is a period of fasting lasting 29 or 30 days. Epidemiological studies among Muslims in Denmark have not been conducted, but studies show, that fasting among pregnant Muslim women is common. Fasting does not increase the risk of growth restriction or preterm delivery, b Pregnant Muslim women may be religiously exempt from fasting during the Islamic month of Ramadan, especially if there is concern for undue hardship or harm to maternal or fetal health. However, several studies demonstrate that most women still choose to fast during pregnancy and avoid discussing fasting with their providers. A targeted literature review of published studies on fasting during The impact of fasting during pregnancy may depend on the overall health of the mother, the stage of pregnancy and the time of year Ramadan occurs. More research is needed to fully understand what impact fasting may have on the health and development of the baby and what that may mean for the child’s health in later life. fast during pregnancy and avoid discussing fasting with their providers. A targeted literature review of published studies on fasting during Ramadan and pregnancy or maternal and fetal outcomes was performed. We generally found little to no clinically significant effect of fasting on neonatal birthweight or preterm delivery. Conflicting data Also, I have tried fasting the first day of Ramadan (yesterday) and found myself very exhausted due to the breastfeeding, however, I pushed myself to complete the whole day. My questions are that if I miss this Ramadan, in addition to one I did not fast last year due to my pregnancy, until when do I have to make it up? With strict adherence to Ramadan fasting in pregnancy, the birth weight of newborns tended to be lower than that of newborns of non-fasting mothers, although this was not statistically significant No studies delineated between fasting and post-prandial glycemic control or explored the association between Ramadan fasting in women with GDM and fetal outcomes. No studies, to-date, have explored the incidence of ketosis or DKA during Ramadan fasting in pregnant women with diabetes. Ramadan Fasting and Potential Risks to the Fetus Background Although exempt, many pregnant Muslim women partake in the daily fast during daylight hours during the month of Ramadan. In other contexts an impoverished diet during pregnancy impacts on birth weight. The aim of this systematic review was to determine whether Ramadan fasting by pregnant women affects perinatal outcomes. Primary outcomes investigated were perinatal mortality A literature review was conducted for studies published between 2000 and 2022 via Harvard Hollis and PubMed using the terms “fasting and pregnancy,” “Ramadan and pregnancy,” “fasting Ramadan during pregnancy,” “effect of fasting on fetus,” and “effect of fasting on maternal health.” Recently published studies were prioritized.
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