What is the postpartum (puerperium) period? What should be paid attention to during this period?

Dear Brother / Sister,

Puerperium is a special state that occurs in women after birth with blood coming from their sexual organs and that lasts at most forty days. This state is called puerperium and the blood is called puerperal blood.

The period of puerperium changes from woman to woman. This period can be as short as one day in some women. The period of puerperium ends when puerperal bleeding ends. There is no minimum time limit for puerperium. The maximum limit is forty days. If bleeding continues after forty days, it is regarded as istihada blood, not puerperal blood. (see Istihada)

Periods of cleanliness during the puerperium are also regarded as puerperium. For instance, if bleeding continues for ten days after birth and stops for five days and starts again lasting for ten days, all of this twenty-five-day period is regarded as puerperium.

Puerperium occurs when a woman has a miscarriage and when the fetus has apparent organs like hands and feet. It generally lasts for ten to fifteen days. However, if the fetus does not have any apparent organs yet, puerperium does not occur. If the bleeding after miscarriage lasts for three days and if the woman had a period of fifteen days without bleeding, it is regarded as menstrual blood. If it is not menstrual blood, it is regarded as istihada.  

The women who are in puerperium cannot perform prayers, fast, read the Quran, hold the Quran, circumambulate the Kaaba, enter mosques and have sexual intercourse with their husbands. The husband of a woman who is in puerperium cannot touch, pat, etc the parts of the woman between her navel and knees without a garment or covering. If there is a covering, he can touch and pat without having a sexual intercourse.

The fard prayers that are not performed during puerperium are not performed later but fasting has to be performed later. 

When puerperal bleeding stops, the woman needs to make ghusl and start worshipping. She can have a sexual intercourse with her husband after making ghusl or after one prayer time passes after the bleeding stops.

A woman in puerperum can read the verses of prayer (dua) with the intention of prayer. She can make dhikr and glorify Allah. The food she cooks and the leftovers of her food are clean. Her husband can sleep in the same bed with her and love her based on the criteria mentioned above. There are some wisdoms behind the fact that the woman is prevented from worshipping during this period. The woman is not utterly clean to be in the presence of Allah due to some liquids that come out of her body. On the other hand, she needs to rest because she is ill and tired. One of the wisdoms behind the prohibition of sexual intercourse is the fact that the woman is not physically and psychologically ready for such an intercourse. This temporary prohibition in sexual life causes the love and longing between spouses to increase.

Akif KÖTEN

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