If the woman is experiencing complications from pregnancy such as preeclampsia or gestational diabetes, she should be encouraged to break the fast. A pregnant Muslim woman who insists on fasting should do so under medical supervision.
The Arab Muslim family is the primary unit in the community. The family in Islam is built upon a holy bond and love and kindness between two hearts. Family is extremely important and a patient may be accompanied by large numbers of family members. The nurse should anticipate large numbers of visitors and provide a comfortable location in the hospital setting to accommodate extended family members (Luna, 1989). In many Muslim families, the husband is the family leader and decision maker, while the main role of the wife is to care for the children and the home. The nurse should assess who the decision maker will be so that informed consent can be directed to the right person. Even in emergency situations, it is best to involve male family members because the woman will be placed in an awkward situation if she makes a decision alone.
Modesty is very important to the Arab Muslim client, especially for females. The intention of Muslim dress is to conceal the body identity (Zaidi, 1994). Vaginal examinations can cause great anxiety. It is common for traditional Arab women to expect to see female providers (Kulwicki, Miller & Schim, 2000). If a male needs to examine an Arab woman, a female nurse should be present during the examination. An Arab woman cannot be alone with a male unless it is her husband or a family member. When examining the Muslim woman, the nurse should assist in maintaining her modesty by only exposing the necessary part to be examined. .
Arab Muslims consider menarche a happy event. However, this first menstruation means a change in the role for the teenager. The female teenager is now called a woman. Menstruation may be the time when the woman begins to wear hijab.