BELIEFS AND PRACTICES OF FASTING IN RAMADAN AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN

Abstract

Background: Fasting in the Holy month of Ramadan is compulsory in Islam. The objective of study was to explore the pregnant women’s beliefs and practices about fasting in Ramadan during pregnancy.
Material & Methods: This explorative study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan, after Ramadan from September 2016 to November 2016. 150 females constituted our sample size, using convenient sampling technique. Women who have undergone pregnancy in last Ramadan was the inclusion criteria. Non-muslim females were excluded. Demographic variables were age, parity, Gestational age, level of education, ethnicity and SES. Research variables were whether they fast during Ramadan, number of days they fast, experiences during the fasting, beliefs of fasting during pregnancy & harm of fasting. Chi-square test was used to analyze the association between different variables and fasting during pregnancy with p-value <0.005 considering statistically significant.
Results: Out of a total of 150 women, 54% fast during pregnancy in Ramadan. 38% believed fasting as ‘essential’ during pregnancy. 70% who fast during pregnancy think fasting during pregnancy has no harm to themselves and their children. When fasting was cross tabulated with gestational age, level of education and ethnicity the results were found to be statistically significant (P-value <0.05).
Conclusion: Our Muslim women knows not much about the physiological aspects of fasting during pregnancy. After Identifying their beliefs and practices health provider need to help them out in a better way of safety of fasting during pregnancy.