Article 14 of the Saudi Child Protection Law
المادة 14 من نظام حماية الطفل · الفصل الثالث: المحظورات المتصلة بحماية الطفل
The article prohibits any medical intervention or procedure on a fetus except for a medical interest or necessity, without prejudice to what other laws provide.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
دون الإخلال بما تقضي به الأنظمة الأخرى، يحظر القيام بأي تدخلٍ أو إجراء طبي للجنين إلا لمصلحة أو ضرورة طبية.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 14 explained in plain English
This article extends protection to the fetus before birth, and prohibits carrying out any medical intervention or procedure on it, except in two cases:
- where there is a medical interest.
- or where there is a medical necessity.
The default is prohibition, and the exception is tied to a medical justification. An intervention not justified by a medical interest or necessity is prohibited whatever the motive for it.
The article begins with the phrase "without prejudice to what other laws provide", meaning that other laws regulating medical practice remain in force alongside this provision, and the article itself does not set out the conditions or procedures those laws contain.
The article does not specify who decides that the medical interest or necessity exists or how it is established, nor does it define the fetus, since the definition of the child in Article 1 is limited to every human being who has not exceeded eighteen. The article is among the Chapter Three prohibitions connected with protecting the child.
This provision is addressed to doctors, health facilities and anyone who requests a medical procedure on the fetus. Anyone facing an issue involving a procedure performed on a fetus without justification can consult a lawyer who specializes in civil and compensation cases.
Practical example
A couple asks a private clinic to carry out a medical intervention on the fetus for a non-medical purpose. Under this article, no medical intervention or procedure may be carried out on a fetus except for a medical interest or necessity.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 14 of the Saudi Child Protection Law
Is a medical intervention on a fetus permitted?
The Law prohibits any medical intervention or procedure on a fetus except for a medical interest or necessity, without prejudice to what other laws provide.
Does this article cancel the provisions of other medical laws?
No. The article provides that it does not prejudice what other laws provide.
More articles on Child Labor and Exploitation
- Article 8
The article prohibits employing a child before the age of fifteen, assigning a child work that harms safety or health, and using a child in military work or armed conflicts.
دون الإخلال بما ورد في نظام العمل، يُحظر تشغيل الطفل قبل بلوغه سن الخامسة عشرة، كما يحظر تكليفه بأعمال قد تضر بسلامته أو بصحته البدنية أو النفسية، أو استخدامه ف
- Article 9
The article prohibits sexually exploiting a child or exposing a child to forms of sexual exploitation, and also prohibits trafficking in a child for crime or begging.
يحظر استغلال الطفل جنسيًّا، أو تعريضه لأشكال الاستغلال الجنسي، أو المتاجرة به في الإجرام أو التسول.
- Article 10
The article prohibits using a child in places where narcotic substances or psychotropic substances are produced or traded in any form.
يحظر استخدام الطفل في أماكن إنتاج المواد المخدرة أو المؤثرات العقلية أو تداولها بأي شكل من الأشكال.
- Article 13
The article prohibits the child's participation in races and sports or entertainment activities that endanger the child's safety or health.
تحظر مشاركة الطفل في السباقات والنشاطات الرياضية أو الترفيهية التي تعرض سلامته أو صحته للخطر.
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.