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Surya Grahan 2026: Pregnant women, fasting and the unborn baby — doctor separates myth from fact
Surya Grahan 2026: An occurrence of a total solar eclipse happens just a few times per century in India, it is also the time when the old beliefs about what a pregnant woman can do during Surya Grahan are resurrected. Staying indoors and not eating food and refraining from using blades are some of the recommended precautions that an expectant mother should take. But should these recommendations be taken seriously from the medical point of view? We reached out to Dr. D. Sandhya Rani, Lead Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, KIMS Hospitals, Mahadevapura, Bengaluru, to understand whether pregnant women should avoid looking at the Surya grahan or not!
According to Dr Rani, medical professionals opine there is nothing about the pregnancy that makes women more susceptible to the eclipse. There is no medical evidence that eclipse could have an adverse effect on a fetal embryo or cause any birth defects in a baby simply because an expectant woman was watching the solar eclipse.
Women who are expecting can witness an eclipse, but they must adhere to the same safety rules concerning their eyes that should be followed by anyone. Even during an eclipse, staring at the Sun may lead to severe or permanent damage to the retina.
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Regular sunglasses, filters created at home, camera film or smoked glass are not safe for watching the Sun. In order to see the eclipse safely, any person willing to do that should use ISO 12312-2-compliant eclipse glasses or a proper solar viewer. It may be safe to watch the Sun during the brief total phase of an eclipse (occurring when the Moon completely hides the Sun). However, glasses are necessary to put on before the Sun gets visible again.
No mechanisms directly linking a solar eclipse to the fetus have been established. There are claims that solar eclipses can cause defects of birth, cleft lip, bleeding, miscarriage, and other congenital issues but there is no evidence provided by medical researchers.
Similarly, there is no need for pregnant women to stay at home, avoid sleeping, sit in a particular position or refrain from using knives, scissors or other sharp objects during an eclipse.
Fasting is one of the many traditional practices that take place during eclipses. But pregnancy requires a woman to eat properly and avoid dehydration. Hence, unless advised by a qualified doctor for any other reason, fasting during an eclipse is considered undesirable for pregnant women.
Prolonged abstinence from food and beverage can lead to weakness, dizziness, dehydration, and low blood sugar all of which can create discomfort to a woman.
There are no unusual restrictions for expecting mothers concerning the eclipse itself. Women who are pregnant should continue taking care of their health before giving birth, following the recommendations of their doctor, taking all medications prescribed for them, drinking enough water, and eating regularly.
The only precaution specific to the eclipse is protecting the eyes. When pregnant women take the necessary precautions to avoid damage to their eyes, they can enjoy the event just like everyone else.
Surya Grahan is a natural phenomenon and does not present a risk to pregnant women in terms of health. By distinguishing between cultural beliefs and scientifically proven medical information, healthy mothers-to-be can enjoy the event without worry.
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