What is the ruling of Islamic law on the process of embryo reduction, in which the physician aspirates one of the embryos (before 45 days of the embryos' age) to avoid the risk of miscarriage for the remaining embryos, given that the permissible number is two, while four or more are injected to increase the chance of success? And is there a fatwa from Al-Azhar that permits this?
Artificial insemination has permissible and prohibited forms. Among the permissible forms are: fertilizing the wife's ovum with the husband's sperm externally and implanting it, or injecting the husband's sperm into the wife's uterus. It is necessary to limit the number of fertilized ova to what is required. If there is a surplus, it should be left without medical care until its life ends, in order to preserve lineage and avoid its intermingling. Some permit aborting the surplus within 40 days if necessary. Some scholars are of the opinion that disposing of fertilized ova outside the uterus before implantation is not considered abortion.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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