Between Faith, Family, and Moral Reasoning: Muslim Women in Israel Navigating Pregnancy Continuation Following Severe Fetal Anomalies

Abortion is a contested issue in Islamic societies, shaped by religious and ethical norms. Scant attention has been given to women who continue pregnancies following diagnoses of severe fetal anomalies. This qualitative interpretative phenomenological study explored, through in-depth interviews, how 33 Sunni Muslim women in Israel make sense of such decisions. Six themes emerged: sanctity of life, sociofamilial pressures, guilt and meaning-making, moral tensions in medical encounters, lineage concerns, and caregiving responsibilities. Findings show that pregnancy continuation is embedded in faith-based moral reasoning and relational obligations. The study underscores the need for culturally and religiously sensitive reproductive counseling.