Want To Stay Fasting Even Though You Are Pregnant? Pay Attention To The Following Doctor's Advice

Illustration of Pregnant Women (pixabay)

JAKARTA - Ramadan is getting closer. Pregnant women get relief not to fast during the month of Ramadan. But what if they want to keep fasting?

An obstetrician from Padjadjaran University, Dr. Boy Abidin, SpOG(K) advised pregnant women to consult first before deciding to fast in Ramadan this year, because there are several conditions that make pregnant women should not fast.

"First consult with the doctor whether it is permissible to fast. If the mother's condition is good, the baby is good, please fast," said Boy as quoted by ANTARA, Friday, March 10.

Some of the certain conditions that make pregnant women should not fast, including the fetus they contain does not develop optimally, experience preeclamptivity or high blood pressure during pregnancy, lack of digestive fluid, to problems in the stomach or digestive tract.

"If forced, the mother can faint. In addition, it will also be dangerous for the fetus," said the member of the Indonesian Obstetrics and Gynecology Association (POGI).

If you have consulted and are allowed to fast, Boy recommends pregnant women to eat complex carbohydrates when suhoor.

"If suhoor, the food is complex carbohydrates. The complex means it doesn't feel sweet on our tongue but contains quite high carbohydrates," he said.

Boy explained that complex carbohydrates have a longer time to digest by the body so that they can maintain energy needs during fasting.

The examples of complex carbohydrates include rice, sweet potatoes, noodles, wheat, potatoes, corn, red beans, broccoli, bananas, and beans.

"So don't eat sweet foods at dawn, because it will be wasted quickly. If you break the fast, it's normal to eat the sweets you like, the important thing is that the nutrition is good and fulfilled, such as folic acid and iron, it can come from anywhere, including milk," said Boy.

Boy added, when pregnant women have to eat foods with high fiber because it will provide a longer feeling of fullness.

In addition, he said it was also important to keep up with the liquid needs of at least eight glasses per day, considering that Indonesia is a country with a tropical climate so that the weather will heat up during the day which causes evaporation to become higher.

"So when breaking the fast, drink two glasses, before praying two glasses, before sleeping two glasses, and at dawn two glasses. So eight glasses is sufficient," said Boy.