Fetal Well-Being Tests and Maternal Fasting in the Holy Month of Ramadan

Background & Objective: Fasting in the holy month of Ramadan is one of the 5 pillars of Islam. The effect of fasting on the health of mothers and their babies remains relatively unknown. Many pregnant women and gynecologists are concerned about possible complications related to fasting and its effects on the health of the fetus. This study aimed to investigate the effect of maternal fasting during holy Ramadan on fetal health tests. Materials & Methods: In this Cohort study, 23 healthy pregnant women who were in the second and third trimesters and had a singleton pregnancy and were fasting and 23 non-fasting that referred to university clinics in Kashan, Iran, from 30 March to 20 April 2023 were included in the study. Maternal blood sugar and biophysical profiles including non-stress testing, fetal breathing, fetal movement, fetal tone and qualitative measurement of amniotic fluid volume were evaluated. After collecting the data and entering the SPSS.17 software, the data was analyzed. Results: The findings of the study showed that a statistically significant difference was observed in the ratio of blood sugar status in the non-fasting and fasting pregnant women. However, no statistically significant difference was observed regarding the normal ratio of amniotic fluid volume, fetal tone, fetal movement, fetal breathing and non-stress tests. Conclusion: According to the results of the study, Islamic fasting or the mother's hunger from the Morning Prayer to the evening prayer does not have a negative effect on the fetal well-being testing.