Question:
A woman is diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy, which is an extrauterine pregnancy. If the baby is born or does not survive, does the blood discharge still considered as nifas?
Answer:
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
According to Britannica encyclopaedia, an ectopic pregnancy is defined as:
“Ectopic pregnancy, also called extrauterine pregnancy, a condition in which the fertilized ovum (egg) has become embedded outside the uterine cavity. The site of implantation most commonly is a fallopian tube; however, implantation can occur in the abdomen, the ovary, or the uterine cervix. An ectopic pregnancy occurs in an estimated 1 to 2 per cent of women worldwide and is a major cause of sickness and death among women in the first trimester (first 12 weeks) of pregnancy.”[1]
This means an ectopic pregnancy is an extrauterine pregnancy when the fertilised ovum is attached outside of the uterus. Normally, it takes place in the fallopian tube, even sometimes it also takes place in any abdominal parts, ovaries and uterine cervix.
If the blood discharges after giving birth or miscarriage come from the uterus, then it is nifas, if it discharges after giving birth and does not late to 15 days. While if the blood does not discharge from the uterus, then it is not considered as nifas, or even haid, but istihadhah.
Refer Tuhfah al-A`izza’ (pg.936)
This is because, the blood is not categorized under the definition of haid, while nifas and haid is in one group. According to the author of al-Fiqh al-Manhaji (1/77) :
دم جبلة ـ أي خلقة وطبيعة ـ تقتضيه الطباع السليمة يخرج من أقصى رحم المرأة بعد بلوغها على سبيل الصحة، في أوقات معلومة
“Natural normal bleeding - discharges through the cervix of a woman who has reached puberty during her healthy state in a certain period of time”
So, when the blood does not discharge from the uterus, then it is not nifas or haid, but istihadhah. Conversely, if it also comes from uterus, then it is nifas. Wallahu a’lam.