Minnesota Organizations Collaborate on First U.S. Islamic Fatwa on Use of Donor Milk
On November 16, 2023, the Minnesota Islamic Council issued a fatwa to clarify religious teachings around and encourage Muslim families to use pasteurized donor human milk for babies when their mothers’ own milk is not available or sufficient. Organizations throughout Minnesota, including the Minnesota Breastfeeding Coalition, worked with Muslim leaders and scholars to help this historic moment come to pass. This is the first guidance of its kind in the United States.
Representatives from the Minnesota Breastfeeding Coalition attended the signing of the fatwa on November 16, 2023.
As explained in a press release by Children’s Minnesota:
“Clinical staff began discussions with Islamic scholars in September to explore the topic after noting persistent barriers in Muslim families accepting pasteurized donor human milk for their babies in neonatal intensive care units and nurseries across the state due to uncertainty over Islamic beliefs. If a mother's milk is not available, pasteurized donor milk for fragile or premature babies is lifesaving and prevents serious infections, like sepsis or necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a life-threatening intestinal tract disease.
“Donor milk concerns in the Muslim community stem from Islamic teachings that a woman providing breast milk develops kinship with the baby who receives it. The fatwa provides information on the health benefits of human milk for newborns, clarifies Islamic teachings and encourages the use of donor human milk when needed.”
The Minnesota Breastfeeding Coalition invites other breastfeeding coalitions around the world to connect with us for more information about MBC’s involvement in this process. Community members in Minnesota with questions about the fatwa can contact info@brighterhealthmn.com. The full fatwa can be read here.