KABUL (Pajhwok): Gynecologists have reported a surge in miscarriages in the last solar year, saying some parents planning to go abroad referred to doctors for abortions.
Dr. Malalai Faizi, head of the Malalai Maternity Hospital, told Pajhwok Afghan News over 728 incidents of pregnancy loss were registered last year.
Faizi acknowledged pregnancy losses – miscarriages and abortions -- recently increased. However, she did not provide exact figures.
“We receive daily 10 to 15 females, suffering from miscarriage or seeking abortions. Most of them come when their babies are already lost due to excessive bleeding and other complications. Such patients undergo operations.”
She said genetic issues, the use of antibiotics, and certain other medicines, and other things could cause miscarriage.
Dr. Faizai said besides the above problems, there were some women who intentionally desired the loss of their pregnancy --- abortion.
“Some women refer to us demanding abortion. Under medical rules, a doctor is not entitled to carry out abortions or take a life. We don’t do this,” she explained.
Dr. Faizai said: “We advise mothers not to go for abortion because this is against our religious teachings. It’s murder but some women don’t listen to us.”
She called poverty, financial constraints, baby girls, unplanned pregnancy, and already having a baby less than six months ago some reasons for abortion.
According to a well-placed source, some parents with plan to go abroad also opt for abortion.
“Some girls/women getting pregnant illegally are exceptional cases. People here are Muslim and ours is an Islamic country. We may have a few -- up to three -- such cases. We don’t have figures for the last year.”
Dr. Faizi said in order to prevent abortion and miscarriages, its reasons should be addressed and this could be controlled by increasing the level of awareness.
She believed child spacing, caring for pregnancy, following the advice of doctors and avoiding self-medication can prevent miscarriage.
Dr. Najmusama Shifajo, an expert at the Shifajo Maternity Hospital, said: “Cases of miscarriage are higher this year than in 2021. Last year, we barely received a patient a day but this year we have three to four patients of this type.”
Health issues like sugar, high blood pressure, kidney disease, the presence of some virus in the blood, and lack of iron and other vitamins in the body can cause miscarriages.
“In some cases, mothers cause problems for themselves by avoiding eating meat, eggs, milk, and yogurt. They fear these foods will harm their health and that of their children. Such diet regimes harm pregnant women and their babies.”
Shifajo also called abortion illegal and said: “It is not allowed in Islam except in some emergency cases when the baby is not capable of survival or the mother’s life of is under threat. We have a committee in our association called --- Birth Defects ---- when baby is derived from a body part --- head, kidney or any other --- and if born it will not survive.”
She warned abortion could endanger the mother’s life in some cases. She asked families not to force their women into abortion.
Mufti Shamsur Rahman Frotan, a religious scholar, said: “Abortion is not permitted by Islam even if a woman is pregnant for one day. However, it is allowed in some cases --- one, before four months of pregnancy, it should be proven the fetus is not in proper shape. Second, when a doctor advises the growth of fetus will cause mother’s death even if it is in the ninth month of pregnancy.”
He stressed a girl/woman undergoing abortion without valid reason was in fact committing a grave sin and they should seek Allah’s forgiveness.
“If a miscarriage happens, the lost baby in the hereafter will plead for the mother’s forgiveness. A baby born before dying will wait at the entrance to paradise for his parents,” he observed.
nh/mud
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