The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #50081

Marlene D. Allison, RN, MPH and Makhmood Reznik. Office of Clinical Affairs, New York City Health & Hospitals Corporation, 125 Worth Street, Room 427, New York, NY 10013, 212 295 5500, allisonm@nychhc.org

Fasting is an act of deep personal worship practiced by Muslims seeking a richer perception of God. The fast is observed for a month, during which no food, beverages, or medications either by mouth or rectum, is allowed from sunrise to sunset. For a Muslim woman who is pregnant and has gestational diabetes or is breast-feeding, fasting can have serious health consequences for both herself and the unborn child. In New York City, the Muslim population, especially immigrants from Pakistani, Bangladesh and Arab countries, has increased by 92.5 percent over the past decade. New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (NYCHHC) facilities are located in neighborhoods serving a large immigrant Muslim population. With increasing number of pregnant and breast feeding women requiring treatment for maternal complications from fasting (e.g. fainting spells, premature labor) and fetal or infant complications (e.g. small for gestational age, failure to thrive), the hospitals are devoting intense efforts to address this problem. At Coney Island Hospital in Brooklyn, a very successful program was implemented that included the hiring of staff who are Muslim to work with this population, education and sensitivity training of health care providers on Muslim's religious beliefs and practices, and collaboration with Muslim community leaders.

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