As’salam alaikum; We live in Toronto, Canada. My wife is 100 days pregnant with our second child. 4 weeks ago at a routine ultrasound the doctors detected a “large septated cystic hygroma” on the fetus’s neck. This is a suspicious finding and is strongly associated with chromosomal/genetic problems; as a result doctors performed a procedure called CVS (Chorionic Villus Sampling), where they obtain a biopsy from the placenta to test the fetus’s chromosomes. The results came back indicating the fetus was a girl and there was abnormality with the X chromosomes in all the cells that were tested. In a normal female, every cell has 2X chromosomes, but in our case, 1/3 of cells have only 1X chromosome, 1/3 cells have 1X chromosome and a very small piece of second X chromosome and 1/3 have 1X chromosome and 2 X chromosomes in a ring.
We are advised by our doctors and geneticists that in such a situation, there is a high probability that our baby girl will have the following problems:
• Mental retardation
• Medical problems such as ear, eye, heart, kidney or thyroid difficulties, sugar diabetes, high blood pressure
• low set ears, low hairline, webbed neck, pigmented moles, bending out of the elbows, and puffy hands and feet.
• Lack of secondary sexual characteristics and infertility
• Short stature
At this point, only Allah knows how severe the above symptoms will be. The doctors just know for sure that there is something very wrong with the chromosomes. We have also been told that septated cystic hygromas often grow in size as the baby grows and can lead to fetal death. As of now, there is no danger to the life of the mother (but the doctors said this could change).
We have been given the option of termination of pregnancy. We are very scared and worried about the implications of taking this route. We have read that before 120 days there is no “rooh” in the fetus, but its life is still precious (equivalent to an animal or plant).
We would like a fatwa on whether it is permissible to perform abortion for the above reasons before 120 days when there is no risk to the life of mother? If yes, does Allah consider this equivalent to murder of an animal/plant and will we have to answer to Allah and to the child we aborted on the Day of Judgment?
The situation is causing great mental anguish to my wife. We are scared to raise a child with possible severe mental and medical problems, but we are also very scared of performing abortion as the consequences of this deed in the eyes of Allah are not clear to us. Jazakallah Khairan in advance for your timely response.
