May is a high risk month to have a baby in Michigan and Uganda.  Why?

Ramadan.

Some parts of Michigan and parts of Uganda have a large Muslim population that fasts during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan which runs from about August to September (It is based on a lunar calendar).  Muslim women who fast during that period put their fetuses at risk during the critical first trimester.

From “Superfreakonomics” by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner

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