Can a Muslim woman make her own healthcare choices?

Question

My apologies in advance if the question is too personal, or comes across as criticizing, that is not my intention

I work part time as a nurse in a maternity ward, and this past weekend, one of the women in our unit was a young Muslim woman who had her first child.

The male nurse in the unit was told that he was not allowed to enter the room or be near the woman or provide care in the nursery for the newborn daughter, even though they were his assigned duties. That was understandable, being that the family seemed very concerned with the women not being seen by other men, and in such a situation, I would prefer to have female physicians/nurses too.

My question is this though: The new mom was in a lot of pain following the delivery. While the baby was in the nursery being taken care of following the delivery, the woman told her dr. of the pain and the physician (female) told her of her options for the pain management. When the woman was situated in her room following recovery, she said that she would like to have something for the pain. I reviewed what she was allowed to have (by the dr.) and after she made her decision, I went to get the medicine. I returned, and she seemed relieved, until her in-laws asked her what she was getting -- she told them, and they said "NO, you cannot have that." They began speaking (in Arabic?) and then the woman, after speaking to her husband(again, not in english), said she was sorry that she had me get the medicine for nothing, but she had a change of heart.

She seemed to genuinely be in a lot of pain, and she made the request herself -- it seemed as though her in-laws were the ones opposed.

Is this an isolated incident, or do the husband and inlaws have a veto power over the decisions of the woman.

We were able to provide her with ice packs and creams (that she only accepted after her mother-in-law looked them over) but it was not what her initial request was for.

Again, I mean no disrespect at all -- I am just trying to gain a better understanding.

Answer 1

they don't have any choices

Answer 2

NO

GO TO HEALTH COMMUNITY THIS RAMADAN SECTION

Answer 3

it sounds like an islolated incident to me. in muslim countries unfortunatly their culture overtakes everything even islam. and this includes the power mother in laws have over there daughter in law  

Answer 4

My wife is muslim and I'm white... here family has some different views from mine but at then end i believe it should be her decision not her families or mine

Answer 5

That's like asking, "Can a Christian not burn people at the stake?"

There are many sects in Islam and an infinite number of levels of seriousness among worshipers.

In the nations under Sharia Law, or in more primitive regions, the answer is "No." In more advanced regions and among more Liberal Muslims, the answer is "Yes."

A lot of the restrictions on women are cultural rather than Religious, and some directly contradict the Koran.

So, while the incident you described isn't isolated and is still common in some places, it's a long way from being Universal.  It's a growth process.  The Israelites were genocidal maniacs for 700 years. Christianity gave Europe a thousand years of darkness, 8 million human sacrifices and dozen of Religious Wars. People don't stand for that sort of thing anymore from them.

The same thing is happening in Islam. The war between Civilization and fanaticism has been going on since the first Cities were built. The current terrorist attacks from Muslim fanatics are a reaction to the fact that Civilization is winning.  They represent not a new resurgence, but the last ditch defense of the indefensible.

Answer 6

What a bunch of idiots - the in laws, I mean! How cruel can they get.

Let's see the husband giving birth, and the wife's mother say NO to pain relief

I'm quite young, and even now I make my own healthcare choices. I visit the doctor alone. (Having mom there would be WAAY embarrassing. The last time she went with me she started telling the doctor how lazy I was. Her rant lasted about an hour. I was SO EMBARRASSED. Ugh!)

Answer 7

It seems their are some cultural issues and noting to do with Islam of course we are allowed to make our own decisions, this is a very rare situation I have heard of this as it surely does not happen with me, my mother etc!

Answer 8

This is scary and religion or not I don't care things need to change in our world and fast... This is preposterous. I am having hard time processing it. Wow...

Answer 9

I am Muslim and I make my own health care choices.  I always discuss them with my husband but ultimately the decision is mine.  This includes my women's care health. I recently miscarried and am considered to be a high risk for pregnancy and I will use whatever doctor can give me the best care.  If that means I have a male OB, then so be it.  I am a modest woman but I am also a practical one.  I will not suffer or let my health be jeopardized by refusing care from a man.  Any Muslim man or family that cannot accept that is not putting the health of the woman first.  Allah knows best and knows our intention...

Answer 10

Yes a woman can make her own health choices ,she has every right to do so because its her body.And the family was probably extremists. I don't think it was the religion it was their culture.    

Answer 11

That poor woman is in pain because family members don't want her to have pain medicine?  How ridiculous.  Her medical condition and medications shouldn't be discussed with anyone but her.  It is her body, her pain, and her business only.  That family was way out of line.  When are people going to figure out that making decisions for another adult is wrong, wrong, wrong.  It's 2008, for God sake.  Let's catch up with the times and leave that old timey stuff go.  

Answer 12

Well as a muslim woman who has given birth, trust me not my husband, mother, father, mother in law etc or anyone else would have the nerve to tell me i was not allowed it........NOT a chance.

Yes that is a totally isolated incident. There is no way that they had the right to do that she was giving birth after all it was her labour. There is nothing in Islam to say we cannot have pain relief that's just ridiculous.

Yes I understand about not having a male nurse etc I requested that also but when push comes to show if for medical reasons beyond our control the babies life or mothers is in threat then a male of female makes no difference saving the life is more important. But if that is not the situation and a female is available then that is what muslim women prefer.

This is only really an issue in countries that are not muslim because in muslim countries all things to do with pregnancy and gynecological etc are female doctors, nurses and surgeons anyway so its a non issue.

But even before I was a muslim still for examinations etc I always requested a female GP, so i dont see it as if muslim women are asking for something that is not every woman's right to choose anyway.

But back to the issue in point. A muslim woman can 100% make her own choices in health care.

Peace to you...

Answer 13

As a Muslim woman who makes her own healthcare choices, I can assure you that there is nothing in the Quran that states that a woman cannot make her own decisions.

Unfortunately for the young lady you mentioned, she seems to have very controlling in-laws.

Answer 14

This is a very isolated very unusual case, We make our own medical decisions  and mother in laws have no say in our medications or pain management options.

Poor gal, she should have  taken the medications.

Answer 15

no disrespect at all, and actually this is a valid question.  This my friend is something cultural which has nothing to do with the in laws or the husband having power over the wife.  "Back home" they do not often use medications (even epidurals) for women when they deliver babies and that is the norm.  There is a general distrust of drs and medicine and as such people look down upon anyone who asks for it, as it is seen as a weakness.   They will go on to tell you they had x number of kids and they never took anything etc etc.  It's an old story. My husband is a physician and is Arab & Muslim and honestly the worst patients he has are people from his own country (that is by his admission).  Because they come to him only when they literally are on their last leg and then they do not follow the medicine/diet regime he prescribes, do not do the follow up labs etc.  So its not about them having the veto power over her, rather it is the old cultural habits of having a general disdain and superstition about medicine.  

Answer 16

That's just plain sick. Yeah, it's some people's cultures, ya-di-ya-da-ya. It's pain medicine, PAIN MEDICINE, what is the big deal?!

Omg I just can't believe how sick pople can be. Dear God....

Answer 17

haha thats a disgrace, convert to atheism,, no worries more freedom

Answer 18

yes they do now enless they are extreamest

Answer 19

I would like to assure you that this is an isolate condition. I'm a muslim and no one has such powers over me. I can't imagine what was going on in their minds except that they might have suspected that the pain killers you gave to the mother may contain something against Islam, which if there is such a thing I'm not aware of it.

Answer 20

yes ,there is no restriction.

plz ans this question

http://ca.answers.yahoo.com/question/ind...

Answer 21

Just one of them crazy arabs, I would know, I am Muslim.  

Answer 22

Well in regards to abortion, the husband's rights outweigh the woman's as he is the one who is responsible for caring for the child and it's welfare and he gets custody of it in a divorce after the child reaches a certain age(7 for girls and 9 for boys I think).  But in general medication issues, the woman has  a right to decide what she takes, as long as it doesn't harm her or the unborn fetus/baby(especially if she breastfeeds).  If she takes a medication that might harm her or the baby, then she is not allowed to take it. It's probably just the culture of the husband and in-laws, that prevented her from taking pain medication.