When is a medical termination of pregnancy allowed in the UAE?

UAE law allows termination of pregnancy only in narrowly defined medical situations, not as an elective procedure. The principal recognised ground is where continuing the pregnancy poses a genuine danger to the mother's life. UAE law also recognises, under strict and documented conditions, cases involving a serious established fetal abnormality. In all permitted cases the decision is a licensed medical one: it requires assessment by qualified physicians at an approved facility and the relevant medical approvals before anything can lawfully proceed. The conditions, timing limits, and approval process are set by the UAE health authorities and applied carefully, so they must be confirmed directly with a licensed hospital rather than estimated. Acting outside this framework — or through any unlicensed provider — can create serious criminal exposure for everyone involved. If you face a high-risk pregnancy, raise it promptly with your treating physician and the hospital's medical committee. Where a legal question or potential criminal issue arises, you can compare verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI for guidance tailored to your circumstances.