Newsfeed
The UAE has announced a series of new abortion rules, marking a major overhaul in laws surrounding pregnancy termination.
With the new guidelines announced by the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP), it brings aid and support to women facing high-risk pregnancies and receive much-needed aid and relief.
The new abortion regulations in the UAE
Per MOHAP, the new guidelines and regulations aim to preserve “the pregnant woman’s life, ensuring her safety, and enhancing oversight of healthcare facilities in the country”.
Under “clear conditions and controls”, per MOHAP, abortion requests shall be evaluated on a case-by-case basis with a dedicated committee of three specialist doctors within each health authority: an obstetrics and gynaecology specialist, a psychiatry specialist and a representative of the Public Prosecution.
Forming this committee under the guidance and decision of MOHAP, or the head of an emirate’s health authority, women facing life-threatening pregnancies can receive the procedure.
According to the policies, abortions may be performed if the pregnancy poses a continuous danger to the pregnant woman’s life; lacks any alternative procedure to preserve her life; or involves an abnormal foetus that would significantly impact the newborn’s livelihood
This must be supported by a medical report from the specialised committee and performed by a licensed medical facility.
MOHAP also highlighted cases where the gestational period has not exceeded 120 days, abortion would be permissible.
To further enhance the new medical law, the UAE has mandated healthcare facilities to maintain and secure patient data for privacy and confidentiality.
With this in mind, this is a step forward to improving healthcare facilities for women in the UAE. The main goal MOHAP is pursuing is to ensure the pregnant woman’s life is well preserved, provided that her safety is long-term and to improve the UAE’s healthcare facilities following international health standards.
