Use of Heparins during pregnancy and after birth Faith and personal choices
Your doctor has prescribed a blood thinning medication for you to take called heparin. This medication is developed from the lining of the small intestine of pigs. This page gives you information about the medication and the Muslim and Jewish teachings relevant to its use. Individuals following a vegan lifestyle or avoiding pigbased products for any other reason may also find this information useful.
What is heparin?
Heparin is a medication that helps to stop blood clots from forming. In some cases, blood clots can be lifethreatening.
Heparin is often given during pregnancy and after childbirth if you are at a higher risk of developing blood clots. It is given as an injection under the skin (subcutaneous). The most commonly prescribed brands of heparin are Enoxaparin and Dalteparin.
All types of heparin are made using materials which come from the lining of the small intestine of pigs. The manufacturing process for making these medicines involves multiple steps, including a number of purification stages. As a result of the manufacturing process, no pork-related genetic material or proteins are present in the final medicine.
Information for Muslim patients
- In the Quran, Allah states “He has only forbidden to you dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah. But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit], there is no sin upon him. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” (2:173)
- In Islamic law, “Darūrah” (Necessity) applies to situations where a person’s life or the life of another is in danger. “Darūrah” allows actions which would normally be forbidden if they are needed to protect life and prevent serious harm.
- There is currently no alternative blood thinner that is safe to use in pregnancy.
- Some Muslim scholars believe that heparin has undergone a transformative process (Istihaalah), which makes its use permissible (accepted).
- Mufti Abdullah Patel, Gloucester, has confirmed that low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWH) are permissible for Muslim women to use during pregnancy and after birth to reduce the risk of blood clots. A Mufti is a qualified Islamic scholar specialising in Qur’an, Hadith, Islamic jurisprudence (Fiqh), and legal principles-who provides authoritative guidance on religious matters, including whether medical treatments are permissible under Islamic law.
Information for Jewish patients
- Jewish law permits the use of non-kosher medications when needed to save lives, to prevent developing a life-threatening complication or to prevent illness, especially if there is no kosher alternative available.
- There is currently no alternative blood thinner that is safe to use in pregnancy.
What should I do?
Understanding and making a decision about your choice to take a medicine may be very important to you. The maternity team are here to help you understand why this medicine has been recommended for you and to support you in your decision-making.
Please speak to your doctor or midwife if you have any questions. If you wish to discuss this further, you can also contact the hospital chaplains who provide spiritual care and support for people of all faiths.
Contact information
Department of Spiritual Care
Gloucestershire Royal Hospital
Tel: 0300 422 6200
Cheltenham General Hospital
Tel: 0300 422 4286
Email: ghn-tr.spiritualcare@nhs.net
Acknowledgement
The content on this page was written in consultation with Atique Miah (Hospital Imam and Muslim Chaplain) and Farooq Ismail (Patient Experience Manager for Equality, Diversity & Inclusion) and with consultation from local Islamic Fiqh Scholar, Mufti Abdullah Patel.