KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 5 — The Federal Territories Mufti has approved of abortions for cases where the mother is infected with the Zika virus that is linked to microcephaly, a birth defect.
Datuk Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri’s office referred to the 1990 decision by the Islamic Juridical Council of the Muslim World League, an international non-governmental Islamic organisation based in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, that had approved of abortion in cases of thalassemia, a blood disorder, even after 16 weeks of pregnancy, or 120 days.
“We are inclined towards the decision by the Islamic Juridical Council regarding thalassemia that can be referred to for the Zika virus issue, if studies from trusted medical experts show that foetuses infected with the Zika virus may have various disabilities that could affect the family’s life and that of the baby itself.
“In such circumstances, consent from both parents who have obtained clear understanding about the issue can be taken into account to abort the foetus,” said the FT Mufti today on his website today.
Despite the pronouncement by the Muslim cleric, abortion is illegal in Malaysia unless the mother’s life is in danger.
International newswire Reuters reported last month that the Zika virus has been linked to more than 1,800 cases of microcephaly in Brazil where the current outbreak was first detected last year. Microcephaly is a birth defect where the baby’s head is much smaller than expected and is associated with other problems like developmental delay, seizures and intellectual disability.
A man living in Sabah, who had contracted Zika locally, died Saturday from heart complications. Another Malaysian, the first recorded to have been infected with Zika, is reportedly recovering.
The FT Mufti also cited Dar al-Ifta’ al-Misriyyah, an Egyptian educational institute and government body, that issued a fatwa, or edict, last March 14 on Zika that approved the abortion of foetuses before 16 weeks of pregnancy if there were confirmed implications on the mother and defects of the foetus.
In general, abortions are most safely performed in the first trimester, before the 12th week of pregnancy.
Zika is carried by Aedes mosquitoes, which transmit it to humans, and is also passed through sex.
Neighbouring Singapore has reported 215 cases of Zika infections.
