Do Pregnant Women Fast During Ramzan?

Ramadan is the holy month of fasting in Islam. During this period, devout Muslims do not eat from daybreak to sunset. They are permitted to eat during the night. Now if you are a pregnant woman, Ramadan poses a strange metaphysical question. Can pregnant women keep the Ramadan fast or are they exempted from it?

Many Muslims are of the opinion that pregnant women should not observe the Ramzan fasts. This is because Islam exempts pregnant women, small children and ill people from fasting. However, some people also believe that a pregnant woman may keep the Ramadan fast provided she feels well enough.

We cannot comment on the religious basis of this argument, but fasting during pregnancy may have some implications. Here are some problems that can occur if pregnant women keep the Ramadan fast.

Nausea
You are already suffering from pangs of morning sickness and nausea. Being empty stomach will only increase the nausea.

Low Birth Weight
Fasting during pregnancy can result in low birth weight of the infant. But the difference between fasting and non-fasting mothers is supposed to be very small.

Blackout
Your baby is like a parasite absorbing all the nutrition from your body. So your blood glucose level may fall if you do not eat at regular intervals. This may cause dizziness and blackouts.

Metabolism
During pregnancy, your metabolism becomes really slow. That is why, eating at regular intervals is the only sane way to eat. If you try to make up your nutritional need by eating at night, it may lead to indigestion and acidity.

In spite of these limitations, if you think that you are well enough to fast during pregnancy, then there is a way to do it. Take these steps if you are pregnant and fasting during Ramadan.

Reverse Your Day
Try to reverse the schedule of your day. That is sleep during the day and stay up at night for one month. This will ensure that you are resting during the period of fast.

Rest A Much As You Can
Fasting during pregnancy means that you are not permitted to drink water as well. So conserve your energy as much as you can. Rest as much as you have to and don't make any unnecessary movements.

Don't Work Too Hard
Things are tough for you if you are a working woman. You will have to either cut your working hours short or work during the night.

Pregnancy Complications
If you have pregnancy complications like diabetes, high blood pressure or anemia, then it is medically not advisable for you to fast.

Did you fast during your pregnancy? If yes, then how did you manage your diet? Share your experience with us.