“Consult your heart”: The Views and Experiences of Muslim Religious References in Belgium on Prenatal Diagnosis and Termination of Pregnancy

This study aims to explore the views and experiences of Muslim religious references in Belgium on prenatal diagnosis ( PND ) and termination of pregnancy ( TOP ). With that, we aspire to assess the extent to which Muslim families refer to religious references when faced with dilemmas related to PND and TOP , and the impact of the religious references’ views on decision-making processes. A qualitative semi-structured interview study was conducted with 12 religious references. Data were collected and analyzed using the Grounded Theory methodological approach. Findings reveal that views on PND and TOP were influenced by theological and contextual aspects. The role of the religious references appears to be considerable in guiding and supporting Muslim families. Their influence on decision-making processes also seems to be considerable, though conditional. There exist many gaps regarding the situation and the involvement of religious references in healthcare in Belgium. There is a dire need for organized institutional work to improve the current situation.