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Fatwa CenterRemoving fetuses in multiple pregnancies to benefit mother and other babies
Question
In the name of Allah The Most Gracious The Most Merciful. My wife and I have been going through infertility treatment. Currently, my wife has been treated with a drug that stimulates the production of multiple eggs. My semen will be injected inside her uterus to allow for pregnancy to take place, Insha Allah. This procedure results in multiple pregnancies. This means that she may be pregnant with more than one baby. This multiple pregnancy may have several complications on both the life of the mother and the health of the babies (mental retardation, failure to survive, general growth and development, etc.). Due to these reasons, the doctor recommends removal of some of the fetuses on the 6-7 week following pregnancy to keep one or two in order to increase the success of the procedure and the survival of the babies, and reduce any health risks towards the mother and the babies. What is the Islamic ruling on the doctor's recommendation in terms of the removal of the fetuses? May Allah reward you for our efforts.
Answer
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.
If an authentic committee of medical doctors agree that any fetus endangers the life of mother or the fetus itself is disfigured beyond cure, aborting it is permissible. Note that abortion should be carried out within the first forty days or few days after it. Sometimes it is observed that a woman conceives by three fetuses and she lives a normal life without facing any dangers to her life so, one should not be restricted to a certain number (one or two) of pregnancies. Thus, every fetus (pregnancy) that does not endanger the life of a mother should not be aborted.
As you know this kind of treatment requires uncovering the very private parts of a patient to others so, compulsorily a Muslim lady doctor should perform it. If she is not available then a non-Muslim lady doctor; if she is not available then a Muslim doctor should carry out this procedure. Finally, if such a Muslim doctor is not available then a non-Muslim doctor may perform it. These stages necessarily should be followed.
Know also that it is not permissible for a doctor to remain alone with a woman in seclusion. Thereupon, he should perform the treatment in the presence of her husband or another woman. Allah knows best.
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