Role of the Mother in the Health of Her Child from Environmental, Genetic and Epigenetic Perspectives in the Islamic Sources and Modern Science

In its broad sense, health encompasses a wider area than simply physical health. It includes mental, social and spiritual health as well. There is evidence that a child inherits from his parents not only genetic traits but also morality and acquirable traits epigenetically. This means that the parents, especially the mother, have a double responsibility towards their children. In the Islamic literature there are general recommendations regarding choosing a spouse, as well as norms of fertilization, and time of conception; these could be explained today as epigenetic factors in shaping a child’s personality. Some specific recommendations are as follows: Refraining from marrying an ill-humored woman; remembering god at the time of fertilization; and avoiding intercourse at special places, times, states and situations, which would have negative influences on a person’s psyche. Although these cannot be explained on the basis of experimental criteria, their effect on the health of the fetus is worth studying using appropriate methodology. Influence of maternal health on child health in terms of environment, genetics, and epigenetics are the areas that will be explored more by research in Islamic and new scientific resources.