No. Home births are not legally recognized in Saudi Arabia under the Health Practice Law (Royal Decree No. M/59, 2018) and Maternal and Child Health Regulations (2023). The Ministry of Health (MOH) mandates births occur in licensed healthcare facilities, citing maternal and neonatal safety risks. Unregistered home births violate licensing and liability frameworks, exposing practitioners to penalties under the Medical Responsibility Law (2020).
Key Regulations for Home Births in Saudi Arabia
- Licensed Facilities Only: The Health Practice Law (Art. 23) requires all deliveries to occur in hospitals, MOH-approved clinics, or specialized maternity centers. Home births are explicitly excluded from permitted practice settings.
- Practitioner Liability: Midwives or doctors attending unlicensed home births face disciplinary action under the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) and potential criminal charges per the Medical Responsibility Law (Art. 15), which holds providers liable for adverse outcomes.
- 2026 Compliance Shift: The MOH’s National Transformation Program (NTP 2026) tightens oversight by mandating real-time electronic birth registration via the Wasfaty system, linking deliveries to licensed facilities. Home births will trigger automatic flagging for legal review.
Enforcement: Local health directorates (e.g., Riyadh Health Cluster) conduct periodic inspections of midwifery practices, with violations reported to SCFHS for sanctions. Foreign nationals are subject to identical restrictions, per the Saudi Health Visitor Regulations (2022).