Pregnant women in the holy month of Ramadan face a dilemma whether they can observe fasting without any implications. According to experts, women who are expecting can fast during Ramadan if they are able to maintain a routine strictly.
Observing fasting for a woman, in the first trimester of her pregnancy, can be a bit challenging, Dr Major (retd) Afroza Khanom, consultant gynecology & obstetrics, told The Daily Star Online.
In the first three months of pregnancy, women generally experience a vomiting tendency which makes it difficult for them to fast, Dr Afroza said.
If they do not have it, then they can fast easily, she said.
For the rest six months, she just needs to alter her daily dose of medicine and food, she advised.
According to Dr Afroza, for Iftar and Sehri, a pregnant woman should include the following food items in their diet:
1. Milk
2. Egg
3. Coconut water/ lemon juice
4. Lot of water
They should avoid fried and oily food and add nutritious food items in the list, DR Afroza said.
Pregnant women can fast during the month of Ramadan if they have no other physical complications, advised Dr Taslima Islam, a lecturer at Suhrawardi Medical College Hospital in Dhaka.
They need to drink a lot of water during the non-fasting period, she said.
When an expecting woman fasts, her stomach remains empty for a long time. So, it is better for her to avoid all sorts of fried and oily food during the Iftar, she said.
Mothers who breastfeed their child can also fast maintaining balanced diet, she added.