Abstract
Introduction Fasting during Ramadan while pregnant has been shown to have long-term negative effects
on the offspringʼs physical and cognitive health. Even though most Muslims do not
believe pregnant women are obligated to fast during Ramadan, fasting rates of up to
87% have been reported for pregnant women. No data exists to date about Ramadan adherence
and behavior in Germany.
Methods The Mainz Study of Ramadan and Pregnancy surveyed pregnant Muslims and new Muslim
mothers in Mainz between October 2016 and January 2017 and collected information on
Ramadan adherence and behavior. We also collected data on personal characteristics
and opinions, to identify determinants of fasting using statistical analysis.
Results We found that 43% of pregnant Muslim women fasted at least one day during Ramadan
2016. Women who fasted were significantly younger and less educated. There was no
significant difference in terms of country of origin between those women who fasted
and those who did not. Only 49% of women who fasted and 38% of women who did not fast
discussed their Ramadan behavior with their doctor. Less than 2% of women reported
being proactively approached by their doctor.
Conclusion To ensure that pregnant Muslim women living in Germany can make their fasting decision
based on objective information, it is necessary to raise awareness about Ramadan fasting
during pregnancy among medical professionals in Germany.
Key words
Ramadan - fasting - prenatal care - gynecology - epidemiology
