Women's Healthcare & Reproductive Health
Written in plain language for general understanding. This is educational content, not legal advice. Based on Saudi royal decrees, regulations, and ministerial decisions.
Saudi National Law
What is this right?
Saudi women have specific healthcare rights related to maternal and reproductive health:
- Maternity coverage: Health insurance must cover prenatal care, delivery, and postnatal care under the Unified Health Insurance Policy. This includes normal and caesarean deliveries.
- Free government maternity care: Saudi women can access full maternity services at government hospitals at no cost, including prenatal visits, delivery, and newborn care.
- Consent: Women have the right to make their own medical decisions. A male guardian's consent is not required for women to receive medical treatment.
- Cancer screening: The Ministry of Health provides free breast cancer screening programmes for women over 40.
- Fertility treatment: Insurance policies must cover certain fertility treatments as specified in the Unified Policy, including diagnostic tests.
- Emergency obstetric care: Hospitals cannot refuse emergency obstetric treatment regardless of insurance status.
When does it apply?
- You are a woman seeking prenatal, delivery, or postnatal care.
- Your insurer is denying maternity coverage that should be included.
- A healthcare provider is requiring guardian consent for your medical treatment.
What should you do?
- Register for prenatal care early — visit your nearest primary health centre or hospital maternity clinic.
- Check your insurance policy for maternity coverage details — the Unified Policy sets minimum requirements.
- If maternity coverage is denied, file a complaint with CCHI (call 920001177).
- If a hospital wrongly requires guardian consent, assert your right and escalate to the hospital administration or the Ministry of Health (call 937).
What should you NOT do?
- Do not skip prenatal care — regular checkups help detect complications early.
- Do not accept being denied treatment because a guardian is not present — this requirement has been removed.
- Do not assume maternity care is not covered — check the Unified Policy minimum benefits before paying out of pocket.
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