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Fatwa CenterShe may need an abortion
Question
Thank you for your prompt response to this dire question. I just finished chemotherapy treatment and was declared in remission from cancer about 2 months ago Al-Hamdulillaah. I was advised from the beginning not to get pregnant for at least 2-3 years after my treatment because I am still at risk of relapse, need many tests done throughout the next 3 years and the hormones produced from being pregnant were known to sometimes trigger dormant cancers and make them active again, in which case if mine were to become active, it would require a lot more than just chemotherapy to get it to go into remission this time and the treatment itself has a 5% mortality rate...and with 3 very young children and an unstable father to the children, that is an awfully high number!! Today I discovered that I am 3 weeks pregnant...I talked to my doctor and he advised against the pregnancy and told me that it poses a possible danger to my remission and that the drugs from the chemotherapy have very likely effected the egg and the fetus will likely have deformities. I know that is not an Islamicly acceptable reason to abort a baby, but my health is in possible danger...that is my concern...it is not something that will for sure lead to my demise, however there is a chance...is that enough to say it is ok to have an abortion? Please respond as soon as you can because I need to have this taken care of soon if it is in fact ok to do. I have already talked to a local Imam and he said it would be ok, I would just feel better with more than one opinion because this is a decision that will weigh heavily on my heart as a Muslim if it isn't the right one.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.
Dear sister may Allaah bless you and grant you cure and strength.
As we have said before that the abortion is allowed only if a woman's life is in danger. Only the medical specialists can decide the extent of the danger you will face if the pregnancy continues. If reliable and trustworthy doctors confirm that it will greatly threaten your life then you are allowed to undertake the abortion. See Fatwa: 83221. So, if your doctor is a trustworthy experienced physician, then we do not see a problem in aborting the fetus.
Abortion due to the fear of deformities in fetus or future baby is forbidden as we mentioned in our previous Fataawa: 82981 and 81263.
As for the opinions of Muslim scholars in aborting pregnancy before forty days read Fataawa: 83872 and 83891.
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