Intellectual development of children born of mothers who fasted in Ramadan during pregnancy

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Fereidoun Azizi1, Hossein Sadeghipour, Behnam Siahkolah

  • 1Endocrine Research Center, Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran. azizi@erc.ac.ir

International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research. Internationale Zeitschrift Fur Vitamin- Und Ernahrungsforschung. Journal International De Vitaminologie Et De Nutrition
|January 5, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Maternal Ramadan fasting during pregnancy did not negatively impact fetal brain development, as measured by children's intelligence quotient (IQ). This study found no significant differences in IQ scores between children whose mothers fasted and those whose mothers did not.

Area of Science:

  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Public Health Nutrition

Background:

  • The impact of Ramadan fasting during pregnancy on fetal neurodevelopment remains under-researched.
  • Understanding potential long-term effects on cognitive outcomes is crucial for maternal and child health guidance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between maternal Ramadan fasting during pregnancy and the intelligence quotient (IQ) of their offspring.
  • To determine if gestational fasting influences children's cognitive development.

Main Methods:

  • A historical cohort study involving 191 children (4-13 years old).
  • Compared 98 children whose mothers fasted during Ramadan pregnancy (cases) with 93 whose mothers did not (controls).
  • Utilized Wechsler scales (WISC-R, WPPSI) to assess IQ, controlling for demographic and socioeconomic factors.

Main Results:

  • No statistically significant differences in full-scale, performance, or verbal IQ scores were found between children of fasting and non-fasting mothers.
  • Confounding variables like Caesarean section rates and breastfeeding duration differed, but did not negate the primary finding.
  • Socioeconomic status explained approximately 17% of the variance in IQ scores.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal fasting during Ramadan pregnancy does not appear to have an adverse effect on the intelligence quotient of the offspring.
  • The findings suggest that Ramadan fasting, under the conditions studied, is not detrimental to fetal brain development concerning IQ.

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