Can a pregnant or breastfeeding woman skip fasting in Ramadan?

A pregnant or breastfeeding woman is not obligated to fast if she fears harm to herself or her child, following the same principle of hardship that excuses the sick and the traveller (2:184–185). What she owes afterward is where scholars differ. Many in the Hanafi and Shafi'i traditions say she should make up the missed days later (qada), like anyone recovering from a temporary illness, since her exemption is considered temporary. A view associated with some Shafi'i and Hanbali scholars adds that if she skipped specifically out of fear for the child rather than herself, she should also pay fidyah — feeding a poor person for each day — in addition to qada. Others hold that qada alone suffices in every case. Given this range of opinion, many contemporary scholars encourage women to make up the fasts when able and, if there is genuine difficulty doing so before the next Ramadan, to pay fidyah as a supplement rather than a replacement. As always, this is ultimately a matter for her own health judgment, ideally with medical guidance, since the safety of mother and child comes first.

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