There is an interesting biomedical paper offered here on the effects of Ramadan on pregnant women who fast, and it points to particularly deleterious effects when fasting occurs in the first trimester--especially the third month of gestation. The phrase "human capital" in the title refers to intelligence and cognitive abilities.
While pregnant women are not strictly obliged to fast during Ramadan, evidence suggests that most fast with the larger community, rather than shifting their observance to the time after delivery. Of course, fasting then would interfere with successful nursing, because the proper observance restricts liquids as well as food until after sundown, and dehydration would gravely affect the ability to produce milk.
Further analysis here.
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