Understanding Abortion Law in the UAE
In the UAE, abortion laws are governed by a combination of federal legislation and ministerial regulations. Federal Decree-Law No. 4/2016 on Medical Liability and Cabinet Decision No. 44/2024 determine when a medical abortion can be legally performed. These have remained relevant through 2025 and into UAE abortion regulations 2026, shaping medical practice across all emirates, including Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Put simply: under current federal law, abortion is not legal “on demand” in the UAE. It is only permitted under strict medical, ethical, and legal criteria.
Key Permissible Circumstances Under UAE Abortion Law
Under the updated abortion UAE law, a woman may be legally allowed to terminate a pregnancy only in narrowly defined circumstances. These apply throughout the UAE, including abortion law Dubai and the abortion legal status Abu Dhabi.
1. Danger to the Woman’s Life
Abortion is permitted when continuing the pregnancy poses a serious and documented threat to the woman’s life. This is the longest-established exception in UAE law.
2. Severe Fetal Abnormalities
If medical specialists determine that the fetus has severe congenital abnormalities incompatible with life, abortion may be allowed — provided the procedure occurs before 120 days of gestation.
3. Pregnancy from Rape
Recent reforms now permit abortion if the pregnancy resulted from rape or non-consensual intercourse. Proof must be presented through an official report by the Public Prosecution.
4. Pregnancy from Incest
Abortion is also legally allowed if the pregnancy was the result of incest, again requiring legal documentation such as a Public Prosecution report.
5. Joint Spousal Request
In some cases, spouses may request an abortion, which must be approved by a designated medical committee set up under the national system. This committee evaluates eligibility based on strict criteria.
All these cases must comply with certain conditions — including that the pregnancy has not exceeded 120 days at the time of the procedure, except in life-endangerment emergencies.
How Legal Abortions Are Approved
Under UAE abortion regulations 2026, procedures must follow strict legal processes:
Medical Committee Review
A dedicated committee — typically including an obstetrician-gynecologist, psychiatrist, and a Public Prosecution representative — reviews each abortion request and approves whether it meets the lawful criteria.
Licensed Facilities and Specialists
Abortions must be performed only in licensed healthcare facilities and by medical professionals authorized to practice in the UAE.
Documentation and Consent
Written consent from the pregnant woman is compulsory. If she is unable to consent, consent from her husband or guardian may be used unless it’s an emergency. Non-citizen women must hold a valid UAE residency permit for at least one year to qualify.
Counseling Requirements
Medical and social counseling are often part of the legal process, with care providers offering support before and after an abortion.
Abortion Legal Status in Abu Dhabi vs Dubai
Although abortion law Dubai and the abortion legal status Abu Dhabi are part of the same federal legal framework, implementation can vary slightly by emirate through health authority procedures and committee operations. However, the legal criteria for permissible abortion remain uniform across the UAE.
In practice:
Abu Dhabi follows the federal abortion framework and has its own medical committees and licensing processes.
Dubai also implements the same federal standards and conditions.
This means that residents and nationals in both emirates are subject to the same legal requirements under the abortion UAE law.
Is Abortion Legal in UAE Outside These Conditions?
No. Abortion remains illegal outside the specified legal grounds. Performing, facilitating, or undergoing an abortion without meeting the legal criteria carries severe criminal penalties under UAE law.
The UAE continues to maintain restrictive laws compared with many Western jurisdictions, permitting abortion only within strict medical, is abortion legal in UAE ethical, and legal frameworks.
Conclusion
The abortion legal status Abu Dhabi reflects a careful balance between protecting women’s health and regulating the termination of pregnancy through legal and medical oversight. While is abortion legal in UAE can be answered affirmatively under certain clear conditions, it is not legal on demand. The latest UAE abortion regulations 2026 reinforce this approach: abortion is permissible only in defined cases — such as risk to the mother’s life, severe fetal abnormalities, rape, incest, and select spousal requests — and only after formal approval.