Short answer
No, in the Hanafi school. Any bleeding during pregnancy, before the baby is born, is istihadah (non-menstrual bleeding), so you keep praying and fasting if you are able, making wudu for each prayer time if it keeps flowing. The Shafi'i and Maliki schools say it can be a period. Always tell your doctor about bleeding in pregnancy.
Blood seen by a pregnant woman is istihadah, not haid, because a pregnant woman does not menstruate. She prays and fasts. If the bleeding is continuous enough to make her ma'dhur (excused), she makes one wudu per prayer time. Bleeding during labour before most of the baby has come out is also istihadah.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- On the newer view, bleeding during pregnancy that meets the conditions of a period is treated as a period.
- Maliki
- Bleeding during pregnancy can be a period, with longer maximums as the pregnancy advances.
- Hanbali
- Agrees with the Hanafi school that it is not a period.
Explanation
The Prophet ﷺ said that a pregnant captive is not approached until she gives birth, and one who is not pregnant until she has had one period. The Hanafi scholars take from this that a period is the sign the womb is empty, so a woman who is pregnant does not menstruate, and any blood she sees is from another cause.
What to do:
- Light spotting: it breaks wudu. Clean up, make wudu and pray.
- Ongoing bleeding: if it does not stop long enough in a full prayer time to make wudu and pray, you are ma'dhur: make one wudu each prayer time and pray with it. See istihadah.
- Fasting: bleeding does not break the fast, but you may leave fasting if you fear harm. See rulings for pregnant women.
- During labour: pray if you are able, even sitting or by gestures; if not, make it up afterwards.
- Miscarriage: the ruling depends on whether limbs had formed. See bleeding after a miscarriage.
Bleeding in pregnancy can be harmless or a sign that needs care, so contact your doctor or midwife. Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity: if you are unwell, pray as you can. After birth, the bleeding is nifas; see how long is nifas.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Baqara 2:286
لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا ٱكْتَسَبَتْ ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَآ إِصْرًۭا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦ ۖ وَٱعْفُ عَنَّا وَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَآ ۚ أَنتَ مَوْلَىٰنَا فَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ ﴿٢٨٦﴾
Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned. "Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people."
A pregnant woman prays as she is able.
Sunan Abi Dawud 2157
Grading to be checked... لا توطأ حامل حتى تضع ...
"A pregnant woman is not approached until she gives birth, nor one who is not pregnant until she has had one period."
A period shows the womb is empty, so pregnancy and menstruation do not meet.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Taharah, chapter on menstruation (Bab al-Hayd). The blood a pregnant woman sees is istihadah.
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Taharah, chapter on menstruation. Blood during labour before most of the child emerges is istihadah, and she prays if she can.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.