"I Feel More Comfortable Asking Questions": How We Worked with Mosques to Talk with Muslim Women About Reproductive Health

In this article, we’ll explore: I feel more comfortable asking questions: how we worked with mosques to talk with Muslim women about reproductive health and why it matters today.

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Let’s be honest: talking about reproductive health can be awkward for anyone. Whether it’s discussing periods, fertility, menopause, or contraception, these topics often feel deeply personal and, in many cultures, a bit off-limits. For many Muslim women, these conversations are often wrapped in layers of cultural modesty, religious nuances, and sometimes, a lack of representation in mainstream healthcare.

For a long time, there has been a gap. On one side, you have healthcare providers who want to help but don’t always understand the cultural context. On the other side, you have a community of women who have valid questions but don’t always feel “seen” or understood in a cold, clinical GP surgery.

We decided to change that. We realized that if we wanted to have meaningful conversations about health, we had to go where the community felt safest. We had to go to the heart of the community: the mosque. This is the story of how we built bridges, broke down taboos, and reached a point where women could finally say, “I feel more comfortable asking questions: how we worked with mosques to talk with Muslim women about reproductive health.”

Why the Mosque? More Than Just a Place of Worship

To someone looking from the outside, a mosque is a place where people go to pray. But to those within the community, it is so much more. It’s a community hub, a place for education, a support network, and a space where people go for guidance on every aspect of their lives.

When we first proposed holding reproductive health workshops in mosques, some people were skeptical. “Isn’t that a bit… sensitive for a religious space?” they asked. But we argued the opposite. In Islam, seeking knowledge about one’s body and health is actually encouraged. The challenge wasn’t the religion itself; it was the cultural “shyness” (or haya) that sometimes prevents people from speaking up.

By bringing the conversation into the mosque, we were essentially saying: “Your health matters to your faith, and this is a safe space to talk about it.”

Building Trust with Community Leaders

You can’t just walk into a community space and start lecturing. We spent months building relationships with Imams and female community leaders (Alimahs). We had to show them that our goal wasn’t to challenge their values, but to empower their congregation with life-saving information.

Once the leadership understood that we were there to talk about things like cervical screening, maternal health, and menopause—topics that affect the quality of life for their sisters, mothers, and daughters—they opened the doors wide.

Breaking the Ice: The “Tea and Talk” Method

We knew that a formal PowerPoint presentation in a sterile room wouldn’t work. We needed it to feel like a gathering of friends. We called our sessions “Health Tea Times.” We brought samosas, tea, and biscuits. We sat in circles rather than rows.

The most important factor? The speakers. We worked with Muslim female doctors and nurses. When the women in the audience saw a professional who looked like them, understood their dietary requirements, and knew why they might be hesitant to go for a smear test, the walls immediately started to come down.

Addressing the “Taboo” Head-On

One of the biggest hurdles was the word “reproductive.” For some of the older generation, this word is synonymous with “sex,” which is a private matter. We shifted the language to focus on “Women’s Wellbeing” and “Family Health.”

We shared stories. One doctor shared a story of a woman who ignored symptoms of heavy bleeding for years because she thought it was just part of “being a woman.” By the time she sought help, she was severely anemic. Hearing these real-world examples made the women realize that staying silent wasn’t a sign of modesty—it was a risk to their health.

The Power of Anonymity: The “Question Box”

Even in a friendly environment, some questions are too hard to ask out loud. We introduced a “Question Box” at every session. Women could write their questions on a slip of paper and drop them in anonymously.

The results were eye-opening. We received questions like:

“Does having a smear test break my fast during Ramadan?”
“Is it okay to use contraception if I’m struggling with my mental health?”
“How do I talk to my daughter about her first period in a way that isn’t shameful?”
“Are there female-only clinics in our city?”

By answering these questions publicly but anonymously, we addressed the concerns of the whole room. You could see the visible relief on people’s faces when they realized they weren’t the only ones wondering these things.

Case Study: The Cervical Screening Breakthrough

One of our most successful sessions focused on cervical screening (smear tests). Many women in the community had never had one. Some feared it would be painful, others felt it was an intrusion of their modesty, and some simply didn’t see the point if they weren’t “promiscuous.”

We brought in a speculum to show them exactly what it looked like (it’s much smaller than people imagine!). We explained that the nurses are professionals and that you can request a female practitioner. We also clarified that screening is about cancer prevention, not a judgment on your lifestyle.

After that session, one woman, let’s call her Amina, came up to us. She was 52 and had never had a smear test. She said, “I always got the letters, but I just threw them away because I was scared. Now that we’ve talked about it here, in the mosque, I feel like it’s okay. I feel more comfortable asking questions: how we worked with mosques to talk with Muslim women about reproductive health has really changed my perspective.” Two weeks later, she called our lead doctor to say she had finally booked her appointment.

Bridging the Gap Between Faith and Medicine

A huge part of our success was integrating religious teachings into the health advice. We weren’t just talking about biology; we were talking about the “Amanah” (trust) we have over our bodies. In Islam, the body is considered a gift from God, and looking after it is a form of worship.

When we framed health screenings as a way to stay healthy for your family and to fulfill your religious duties, the conversation shifted from “should I do this?” to “how do I do this?”

Key Takeaways from Our Partnership

Representation Matters: Having Muslim healthcare professionals lead the sessions was the single most important factor in building trust.
Environment is Everything: Moving the conversation from a clinic to a community space like a mosque removed the “power dynamic” and made women feel like equals.
Language is a Tool: Using terms that resonate with the community—and avoiding overly clinical or “shame-inducing” language—is vital.
Listen First, Talk Second: We spent more time listening to the women’s fears than we did giving advice. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.

The Lasting Impact

The project didn’t just end when the tea was finished. We created a network of “Health Ambassadors” within the mosques—local women who were trained to provide basic health information and signpost their friends and neighbors to the right services.

The ripple effect has been incredible. We’ve seen an uptick in GP registrations in these areas, higher attendance at screening appointments, and most importantly, a shift in culture. The “taboo” is shrinking. Mothers are talking to their daughters. Grandmothers are asking about bone health. The mosque has become a place where health and faith walk hand-in-hand.

Key Takeaways Section

If you are a healthcare provider or a community organizer looking to replicate this success, remember these points:

Start with the leaders: Get buy-in from the Imam and the women’s committee early on.
Be culturally sensitive, not stereotypical: Don’t assume you know what the barriers are. Ask the women themselves.
Address the “Halal” aspect: Be prepared to discuss how medical procedures align with religious practices (like fasting or modesty).
Make it accessible: Provide information in multiple languages and ensure the timing of sessions works around prayer times and school runs.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is it appropriate to talk about reproductive health in a mosque?

Absolutely. While these topics are private, Islam encourages the pursuit of knowledge and the maintenance of health. When handled with respect and modesty, the mosque is an ideal place for these vital conversations.

2. Did the men in the community support this?

Yes, for the most part. We found that when we explained that healthy women lead to healthy families, the men were very supportive. In some cases, we even held separate sessions for men to talk about their roles in supporting their wives’ and daughters’ health.

3. What were the biggest barriers for the women?

The biggest barriers were often “shyness,” a fear of the unknown, and previous negative experiences with healthcare providers who didn’t understand their cultural needs.

4. How can I find a “culturally competent” doctor?

You can always ask your GP surgery if they have doctors who specialize in women’s health or who have experience working with diverse communities. You also have the right to request a female doctor for any intimate examinations.

5. Can this model work for other communities?

Definitely. The “trusted space” model works for any community that feels marginalized or misunderstood by mainstream services. Whether it’s a church, a community center, or a temple, the principle remains the same: go to the people, don’t just expect them to come to you.

By the end of our project, the phrase we heard most often was: “I didn’t know I could ask that.” That is the real victory. When women feel empowered to own their health journey, the entire community thrives. We are proud to say that through this work, many more women can now say, “I feel more comfortable asking questions: how we worked with mosques to talk with Muslim women about reproductive health.”

Written with love and assistance and refined for quality.

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“I Feel More Comfortable Asking Questions”: How We Worked with Mosques to Talk with Muslim Women About Reproductive Health