Page 46 - Mary: An Exemplary Muslim Woman

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tion, reduces pain, and stimulates blood circulation and metabolism. 9
Water is important during pregnancy for several reasons. At that
time, water intake is especially necessary because the volume of blood

increases and because of the developing baby's needs. Women who
choose to breast-feed need plenty of water to produce the necessary
amount of milk. Considering that 87 percent of this milk is water, we can
see how important this production is.
Water also maintains the electrolyte balances in the blood of the
mother and the child. Hormones released during pregnancy alter the
way various body fluids are used. Toward the end of the woman's preg-
nancy, blood volume increases 150 percent, and the loss of water
through breathing is much greater. The amnion fluid, in which the baby