There are many pregnant women who want to have an abortion with medication. Due to the demand for confidentiality or fear of abortion, some patients want to abort using drugs. You should consult your doctor about how to use drugs. Sometimes the use of these drugs can be risky. Therefore, use the abortion medicine with the help of a doctor, not yourself. Abortion Drugs are Cytotec and Misoprostol. Sale and use of these drugs is prohibited.☎️ +971582181939.

What do I need to do before I take the abortion pill?

Before you take the abortion pill, you'll meet with your nurse, doctor, or health center staff to talk about whether abortion is the right decision for you, and what your abortion options are. You'll get an exam and lab tests, and you may get an ultrasound to figure out how far into your pregnancy you are.

Abortion in Dubai: Legal Status, Approved Cases, and Medical Abortion Pills

Abortion in Dubai is governed by federal UAE law and is permitted only under specific medical and legal conditions. While abortion remains restricted, major legal reforms introduced in 2024 expanded the circumstances under which pregnancy termination is allowed, bringing greater clarity for residents and expatriates seeking lawful, medically supervised care.

This guide explains when abortion is legal in Dubai, how approvals work, the role of medical committees, and how medical abortion pills are regulated within the UAE healthcare system.

Current Legal Status of Abortion in Dubai

Dubai follows uniform federal legislation that applies across all seven emirates. The law treats abortion as illegal by default, allowing it only as a medical exception under defined conditions.

The most important update came with Cabinet Resolution No. 44 of 2024, which took effect on June 21, 2024. This resolution expanded the legal grounds for abortion from two to five, while reinforcing strict procedural controls through medical committees and public authorities.

What Changed in 2024?

Before 2024, UAE law allowed abortion only when:

The pregnancy posed a direct threat to the mother’s life
The fetus had severe abnormalities incompatible with life

The 2024 reform added three new legal grounds, reflecting a controlled but meaningful shift in reproductive healthcare policy—without legalizing abortion on request.

Five Legal Grounds for Abortion in Dubai

Abortion in Dubai is legal only under the following circumstances:

1. Threat to the Pregnant Woman’s Life

Doctors may perform an abortion at any stage of pregnancy if continuing the pregnancy places the woman’s life at serious risk.

Key conditions:

No gestational limit
Only the woman’s consent is required
A licensed obstetrician-gynecologist must perform the procedure
The procedure must take place in a government hospital or authorized private facility

2. Severe Fetal Malformations

If medical testing confirms congenital abnormalities incompatible with life, doctors may approve abortion up to 120 days (approximately 17 weeks) of pregnancy.

Requirements include:

Comprehensive diagnostic testing
Detailed medical reports
Confirmation by at least three specialist consultants (typically obstetrics, pediatrics, and radiology)
Approval by the specialized medical committee

3. Pregnancy Resulting from Rape

The law allows abortion up to 120 days for pregnancies caused by rape or non-consensual intercourse.

Mandatory requirement:

An official Public Prosecution report documenting the incident, investigation, and findings

4. Incestuous Pregnancy

Pregnancies resulting from incest—defined as sexual relations with a permanently prohibited relative—qualify for abortion up to 120 days.

Proof required:

Official documentation from the Public Prosecution
Medical committee approval

5. Joint Request by Married Couples

For the first time, UAE law allows abortion based on a joint request by both spouses, subject to approval by a specialized medical committee.

This provision represents the most significant expansion under the 2024 reforms and remains tightly regulated.

Medical Committee Approval Process in Dubai

Every abortion request must pass through a specialized medical committee formed by the relevant health authority.

Committee Composition

Three licensed physicians, including:
- One obstetrician-gynecologist
- One psychiatrist
One representative from the Public Prosecution

Decision Timeline

The committee must issue a decision within five working days
Decisions require full consensus
Disputes escalate to the Minister of Health or local health authority head
Patients may appeal within five working days; appeal decisions are final

Key Medical and Legal Requirements

All legal abortions in Dubai must meet strict conditions:

Gestational limit: Maximum 120 days (except life-threatening cases)
Practitioner: Licensed obstetrician-gynecologist only
Facility: Government hospital or MOHAP-authorized private clinic
Consent: Written consent from the woman is mandatory
- Guardian or spouse consent applies only if the woman is incapacitated
- Emergency cases override consent requirements
Residency (for expatriates): Minimum one year of valid UAE residency
Documentation: Full medical records from diagnosis to procedure completion
Counseling: Mandatory medical and social counseling before and after the procedure

Abortion Pills in Dubai: Legal Permissions

In Dubai, abortion pills, including those containing misoprostol and mifepristone, are not permitted for over-the-counter or self-use.

Only authorized healthcare facilities may use medical abortion pills, and only in cases where the pregnancy meets UAE legal requirements.

Criminal Penalties for Illegal Abortion

Abortion outside the permitted legal grounds is punishable under Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021.

Penalties Include

Violation	Penalty
Self-induced abortion	Up to 1 year imprisonment and/or AED 10,000 fine
Illegal abortion with consent	Minimum 2 years imprisonment or AED 10,000 fine
Healthcare provider performing illegal abortion	Up to 5 years imprisonment
Abortion without consent	Up to 7 years imprisonment

Additional consequences may include:

Revocation of medical licenses
Deportation of foreign nationals
Long-term legal and social repercussions

Privacy and Confidentiality Protections

Dubai law mandates strict confidentiality for all abortion-related cases.

Healthcare facilities must:

Maintain separate, restricted medical records
Limit data access to authorized personnel
Release information only with patient consent or court order

Cultural and Ethical Framework

UAE abortion law reflects Islamic legal principles (Sharia) while accommodating medical necessity. The framework balances:

Preservation of life
Protection of maternal health
Ethical medical practice
Legal accountability

What This Means for Dubai Residents

Although the 2024 reforms expanded legal options, abortion in Dubai remains highly regulated. Women facing unwanted or medically complex pregnancies must:

Consult licensed medical facilities only
Follow the official approval process
Avoid illegal pills or unregulated services

Violations carry severe criminal consequences, including imprisonment and deportation.

Abortion in Dubai is now legally permitted in five clearly defined circumstances, supported by structured medical oversight and legal safeguards. Abortion pills are allowed only as part of approved medical care, never for self-use.

Understanding the law protects health, freedom, and long-term security while ensuring access to safe, regulated reproductive healthcare within the UAE’s legal framework.

Abortion

Key facts

Six out of 10 unintended pregnancies end in induced abortion.
Abortion is a common health intervention. It is very safe when carried out using a method recommended by WHO, appropriate to the pregnancy duration and by someone with the necessary skills.
However, around 45% of abortions are unsafe.
Unsafe abortion is an important preventable cause of maternal deaths and morbidities. It can lead to physical and mental health complications and social and financial burdens for women, communities and health systems.
Lack of access to safe, timely, affordable and respectful abortion care is a critical public health and human rights issue.

Overview

Around 73 million induced abortions take place worldwide each year. Six out of 10 (61%) of all unintended pregnancies, and 3 out of 10 (29%) of all pregnancies, end in induced abortion (1).

Comprehensive abortion care is included in the list of essential health care services published by WHO in 2020. Abortion is a simple health care intervention that can be safely and effectively managed by a wide range of health workers using medication or a surgical procedure. In the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, a medical abortion can also be safely self-managed by the pregnant person outside of a health care facility (e.g. at home), in whole or in part. This requires that the woman has access to accurate information, quality medicines and support from a trained health worker (if she needs or wants it during the process).

Comprehensive abortion care includes the provision of information, abortion management and post-abortion care. Abortion management includes induced abortion (the deliberate interruption of an ongoing pregnancy by medical or surgical means), care related to pregnancy loss (e.g., miscarriage/spontaneous abortion, missed abortion and intrauterine fetal demise), and management of complications after an abortion.

The information in this fact sheet focuses on care related to induced abortion.

Scope of the problem

When carried out using a method recommended by WHO appropriate to the pregnancy duration, and by someone with the necessary skills, abortion is a safe health care intervention (2).

However, when people with unintended pregnancies face barriers to attaining safe, timely, affordable, geographically reachable, respectful and non-discriminatory abortion care, they may resort to unsafe abortion.1

Global estimates from 2010–2014 demonstrate that 45% of all induced abortions are unsafe. Of all unsafe abortions, one third were performed under the least safe conditions, i.e. by untrained persons using dangerous and invasive methods. More than half of all these unsafe abortions occurred in Asia, most of them in south and central Asia. In Latin America and Africa, the majority (approximately 3 out of 4) of all abortions were unsafe. In Africa, nearly half of all abortions occurred under the least safe circumstances (3).

Consequences of inaccessible quality abortion care

Lack of access to safe, affordable, timely and respectful abortion care, and the stigma associated with abortion, pose risks to women’s physical and mental well-being throughout the life-course.

Inaccessibility of quality abortion care risks violating a range of human rights of women and girls, including the right to life; the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health; the right to benefit from scientific progress and its realization; the right to decide freely and responsibly on the number, spacing and timing of children; and the right to be free from torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and punishment.

Maternal deaths due to unsafe abortion are often misclassified and underreported due to stigma. A review from 2009–20 found that 8% of maternal deaths were linked to abortion (4).

While deaths from safe abortion are negligible, <1/100 000, in regions where unsafe abortions are common, the death rates are high, at > 200/100 000 abortions (4). Estimates from 2012 indicate that in developing countries alone, 7 million women per year were treated in hospital facilities for complications of unsafe abortion (5).

Physical health risks associated with unsafe abortion include:

incomplete abortion (failure to remove or expel all pregnancy tissue from the uterus);
haemorrhage (heavy bleeding);
infection;
uterine perforation (caused when the uterus is pierced by a sharp object); and
damage to the genital tract and internal organs as a consequence of inserting dangerous objects into the vagina or anus.

Restrictive abortion regulation can cause distress and stigma, and risk constituting a violation of human rights of women and girls, including the right to privacy and the right to non-discrimination and equality, while also imposing financial burdens on women and girls. Regulations that force women to travel to attain legal care, or require mandatory counselling or waiting periods, lead to loss of income and other financial costs, and can make abortion inaccessible to women with low resources (6,7).

Estimates from 2006 show that complications of unsafe abortions cost health systems in developing countries US$ 553 million per year for post-abortion treatments (8). In addition, households experienced US$ 922 million in loss of income due to long-term disability related to unsafe abortion (8). Countries and health systems could make substantial monetary savings by providing greater access to modern contraception and quality induced abortion (7,9).

A scoping review from 2021 also indicates that legalization of abortion affects women’s education, participation in the labour market and positively contributes to GDP growth (9). The legal status of abortion can further affect children’s educational outcomes, and their earnings in the labour market later in life. By reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies and thus increasing the likelihood that children are born wanted, legalization of abortion can be linked to greater parental investments in children, including in girls’ schooling (9).

Expanding quality abortion care

Evidence shows that restricting access to abortions does not reduce the number of abortions (1); however, it does affect whether the abortions that women and girls attain are safe and dignified. The proportion of unsafe abortions are significantly higher in countries with highly restrictive abortion laws than in countries with less restrictive laws (3).

Barriers to accessing safe and respectful abortion include high costs, stigma for those seeking abortions and health care workers, and the refusal of health workers to provide an abortion based on personal conscience or religious belief. Access is further impeded by restrictive laws and requirements that are not medically justified, including criminalization of abortion, mandatory waiting periods, provision of biased information or counselling, third-party authorization and restrictions regarding the type of health care providers or facilities that can provide abortion services.

Multiple actions are needed at the legal, health system and community levels so that everyone who needs abortion care has access to it. The three cornerstones of an enabling environment for quality comprehensive abortion care are:

respect for human rights, including a supportive framework of law and policy;
the availability and accessibility of information; and
a supportive, universally accessible, affordable and well functioning health system.

A well-functioning health system implies many factors, including:

evidence-based policies;
universal health coverage;
the reliable supply of quality, affordable medical products and equipment;
that an adequate number of health workers, of different types, provide abortion care at a reachable distance to patients;
the delivery of abortion care through a variety of approaches, e.g. care in health facilities, digital interventions and self-care approaches, allowing for choices depending on the values and preferences of the pregnant person, available resources, and the national and local context;
that health workers are trained to provide safe and respectful abortion care, to support informed decision-making and to interpret laws and policies regulating abortion;
that health workers are supported and protected from stigma; and
provision of contraception to prevent unintended pregnancies.

Availability and accessibility of information implies:

provision of evidence-based comprehensive sexuality education; and
accurate, non-biased and evidence-based information on abortion and contraceptive methods.

WHO response

WHO provides global technical and policy guidance on the use of contraception to prevent unintended pregnancy, provision of information on abortion care, abortion management (including miscarriage, induced abortion, incomplete abortion and fetal death) and post-abortion care. In 2022, WHO published an updated, consolidated guideline on abortion care, including all WHO recommendations and best practice statements across three domains essential to the provision of abortion care: law and policy, clinical services and service delivery. A second edition was released in 2025.

WHO also maintains the Global Abortion Policies Database. This interactive online database contains comprehensive information on the abortion laws, policies, health standards and guidelines for all countries.

Upon request, WHO provides technical support to countries to adapt sexual and reproductive health guidelines to specific contexts and strengthen national policies and programmes related to contraception and safe abortion care. A quality abortion care monitoring and evaluation framework is also in development.

WHO is a cosponsor of the HRP (UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction), which carries out research on clinical care, abortion regulation, abortion stigma, as well as implementation research on community and health systems approaches to quality abortion care. It also monitors the global burden of unsafe abortion and its consequences.

1 An “unsafe abortion” is defined as a procedure for terminating a pregnancy performed by persons lacking the necessary information or skills or in an environment not in conformity with minimal medical standards, or both. The persons, skills and medical standards considered safe in the provision of abortion are different for medical and surgical abortion and by pregnancy duration. In using this definition, what is considered ‘safe’ or unsafe needs to be interpreted in line with the most current WHO technical and policy guidance (2).

(1) Bearak J, Popinchalk A, Ganatra B, Moller A-B, Tunçalp Ö, Beavin C et al. Unintended pregnancy and abortion by income, region, and the legal status of abortion: estimates from a comprehensive model for 1990–2019. Lancet Glob Health. 2020 Sep; 8(9):e1152-e1161. doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(20)30315-6.

(2) Ganatra B, Tunçalp Ö, Johnston H, Johnson BR, Gülmezoglu A, Temmerman M. From concept to measurement: Operationalizing WHO's definition of unsafe abortion. Bull World Health Organ 2014;92:155; 10.2471/BLT.14.136333.

(3) Ganatra B, Gerdts C, Rossier C, Johnson Jr B R, Tuncalp Ö, Assifi A et al. Global, regional, and subregional classification of abortions by safety, 2010–14: estimates from a Bayesian hierarchical model. The Lancet. 2017 Sep.

(4) Cresswell JA, Alexander M, Chong MYC et al. Global and regional causes of maternal deaths 2009-20: a WHO systematic analysis. Lancet Glob Health. 2025 Mar 7:S2214-109X(24)00560-6. doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(24)00560-6.

(5) Singh S, Maddow-Zimet I. Facility-based treatment for medical complications resulting from unsafe pregnancy termination in the developing world, 2012: a review of evidence from 26 countries. BJOG 2015; published online Aug 19. DOI:10.1111/1471-0528.13552.

(6) Coast E, Lattof SR, Meulen Rodgers YV, Moore B, Poss C. The microeconomics of abortion: A scoping review and analysis of the economic consequences for abortion care-seekers. PLoS One. 2021 Jun 9;16(6):e0252005. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252005. PMID: 34106927; PMCID: PMC8189560.

(7) Lattof SR, Coast E, Rodgers YVM, Moore B, Poss C. The mesoeconomics of abortion: A scoping review and analysis of the economic effects of abortion on health systems. PLoS One. 2020 Nov 4;15(11):e0237227. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237227. PMID: 33147223; PMCID: PMC7641432.

(8) Vlassoff et al. Economic impact of unsafe abortion-related morbidity and mortality: evidence and estimation challenges. Brighton, Institute of Development Studies, 2008 (IDS Research Reports 59).

(9) Rodgers YVM, Coast E, Lattof SR, Poss C, Moore B. The macroeconomics of abortion: A scoping review and analysis of the costs and outcomes. PLoS One. 2021 May 6;16(5):e0250692. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0250692. PMID: 33956826; PMCID: PMC8101771.

Are abortion pills legal in Dubai?

No, abortion pills are not legally available in Dubai for general use. Doctors may prescribe abortion pills only when abortion is legally permitted, approved by a medical committee, and provided in a licensed hospital.

Can I buy abortion pills in Dubai pharmacies?

No, abortion pills cannot be bought from pharmacies in Dubai without legal approval. Pharmacies do not sell abortion pills over the counter, and buying them online or from unregistered sources is illegal and unsafe.

Are abortion pills allowed in early pregnancy in Dubai?

Abortion pills may be allowed in early pregnancy only if the case meets UAE legal criteria, such as risk to the mother’s life or severe fetal abnormalities, and only after official medical approval.

What happens if I take abortion pills illegally in Dubai?

Taking abortion pills illegally in Dubai can lead to serious legal consequences, including imprisonment, fines, medical complications, and possible deportation for expatriates.

Do doctors prescribe abortion pills in Dubai?

Doctors in Dubai do not prescribe abortion pills unless the abortion is legally approved. Any prescription must follow UAE law, medical committee authorization, and be administered in a licensed medical facility.

Are abortion pills bought online safe in Dubai?

No, abortion pills purchased online in Dubai are often fake, unsafe, and illegal. Using unverified pills increases the risk of heavy bleeding, infection, and life-threatening complications.

What is the legal alternative to abortion pills in Dubai?

The legal alternative to abortion pills in Dubai is consulting a licensed hospital or gynecologist to assess whether the pregnancy qualifies for lawful medical termination under UAE regulations.

Are abortion pills different from emergency contraception in Dubai?

Yes, abortion pills are different from emergency contraception. Emergency pills like Plan B are legal in Dubai and prevent pregnancy, while abortion pills terminate an existing pregnancy and are legally restricted.

How many weeks can abortion pills be used in Dubai?

When legally approved, abortion pills are typically used within the first 9–10 weeks of pregnancy, under strict medical supervision and only in cases permitted by UAE law.

What should I do if I need abortion pills in Dubai?

If you believe you need abortion pills in Dubai, you should seek immediate medical consultation at a licensed hospital to understand your legal options and avoid unsafe or illegal practices.

What can I do to stop 2 weeks of pregnancy?

This type of abortion can be performed in the early weeks of pregnancy (up to 9 weeks). Medication abortion uses a combination of 2 medications – mifepristone and misoprostol – to end an unplanned pregnancy. Medication abortion is a low-risk, non-invasive way to terminate (end) a pregnancy. It is around 99% effective.

What happens if you are pregnant and unmarried in the UAE?

If you get pregnant in the UAE without being married, recent legal reforms (Federal Decree Law No. 31 of 2021) have decriminalized consensual sex and pregnancy outside marriage, meaning you won't face criminal charges, but you will need to navigate documentation like getting a birth certificate, which can be tricky without a marriage certificate but can often be resolved by applying to the courts to secure the child's identity, ensuring they receive healthcare and education.

Can I remove unwanted pregnancy?

Medicines can be used to end an early pregnancy. In many cases, the first day of your last period must be less than 11 weeks ago. If you are over 11 weeks pregnant, you may need to have an in-clinic abortion. Some clinics will go beyond 11 weeks for a medication abortion.

How soon can you have an abortion?

Depending on where you live and your nurse or doctor, the abortion pill can be offered as early as about 4 weeks after your last period, and you can get an in-clinic abortion as early as about 5 weeks after your last period, depending on your medical situation.3 Jun 2024

In what cases is abortion permissible?

The Ministry stated that conducting an abortion procedure is permissible if continuing the pregnancy endangers the pregnant woman's life, in the absence of any alternative way to save her life, or if the fetus's deformation is severe, proven, and will affect the newborn's health and life

Tags :

abortion in Dubai, abortion pills in Dubai, is abortion legal in Dubai, UAE abortion law, abortion laws in Dubai, legal abortion in UAE, abortion regulations Dubai, pregnancy termination Dubai, medical abortion Dubai, abortion rules in Dubai, abortion guidelines UAE, abortion approval process Dubai, abortion medical committee Dubai, safe abortion Dubai, reproductive health UAE, women’s health Dubai, gynecology clinics Dubai, post abortion care Dubai, abortion law UAE 2024, medical abortion pills Dubai, abortion legality UAE, termination of pregnancy Dubai