- Abortion legal status
- Illegal
- Emergency number
- 999
Updated July 2026 · Sources cited: travel.gc.ca, tripadvisor.ca
Good to know
Good to Know
- Bahrain's 999 line covers police, ambulance and fire and is the fastest way to get help in an emergency in Manama.
- Shamsaha is a Bahrain-based, multilingual, 24/7 crisis line specifically for domestic and sexual violence survivors — a good first call for confidential support outside a police report.
- Because sex outside marriage is illegal in Bahrain, some pharmacists will ask unmarried women for a marriage certificate before selling the birth-control pill — bring a supply from home if you're unmarried and want to avoid this.
- Dedicated emergency contraception has historically been hard to find over the counter in Bahrain; it's worth carrying a course of EC pills with you when you arrive, or confirming with a private clinic in Manama whether they currently prescribe/stock it, rather than assuming a pharmacy will have it on the shelf.
- An IUD requires a doctor's visit at a private hospital rather than a walk-in pharmacy purchase — budget for a consultation plus the device/insertion fee.
- Abortion access in Manama is far more restrictive in practice than some summaries suggest — do not assume 'legal on request' translates into an accessible elective procedure; approvals are reportedly reserved for medical necessity.
- If you experience a miscarriage or non-viable pregnancy, the standard public-system pathway is referral to Salmaniya Medical Complex, which may involve a waiting period before intervention.
- Reliable emergency contraception (morning-after pills) is not consistently available in Bahraini pharmacies — plan regular contraception in advance rather than relying on emergency options locally.
- If you need abortion services for non-medical reasons, the realistic options are traveling to a country with accessible abortion services or consulting the Bahrain Family Planning Association for current, personalized guidance — avoid unregulated 'abortion pills' sold outside licensed pharmacies, as these are frequently reported to be counterfeit or unrelated medications.
- Private hospitals like American Mission Hospital and Bahrain Specialist Hospital are commonly used by expats for general OBGYN and maternity care and tend to have English-speaking staff and consultants trained internationally.
Street, Night and Taxi Safety
Street Harassment
Official travel advisories note that women travelling alone in Bahrain may experience some verbal harassment and unwanted attention, though a 2019 U.S. Embassy security report characterized the overall risk from crime in Manama as minimal and said harassment and assault do occur but are not always reported to police. Neighborhood-level guides describe catcalling and unwanted attention as more noticeable around the Juffair bar strip (particularly Exhibition Street) late at night, with daytime areas and business/mall districts generally rated as calmer.
Walking Alone at Night
Multiple sources describe Manama's main business, hotel, and mall districts (Seef, Adliya, central Manama) as generally fine to walk through, with one long-term resident commenting that women walk freely even in quiet streets at night. The U.S. Embassy report recommends travelling in pairs or groups during hours of darkness and avoiding isolated areas, and nightlife zones like Juffair's bar strip are flagged as less comfortable for a woman walking alone late at night due to a rowdier crowd.
Taxis and Ride-hailing
Ride-hailing apps Careem and Uber are widely available across Manama, Juffair, and Seef and are generally recommended over flagging an unlicensed street taxi, partly because they reduce the risk of fare overcharging and give a digital record of the trip. Official (metered, beige or white) taxis are also considered a legitimate option; travelers are advised to use designated taxi stands or app pickup points rather than accepting unsolicited offers from touts, especially at the airport.
Legal Risk When Reporting Assault
A significant and Bahrain-specific legal issue noted by Canada's official travel advisory is that women who report sexual assault in Bahrain have been detained, because they must prove the sex was not consensual in order to avoid being charged themselves under extramarital sex statutes. This is a serious practical consideration distinct from street-safety risk and worth knowing before relying on local police for this type of incident.
Practical Precautions
Guidance aimed at women in Bahrain (including from the MIT international safety office) recommends staying aware of surroundings, avoiding isolated areas, walking with purpose, keeping a phone charged, carrying cab money, and traveling in groups where possible, particularly after dark. Dressing modestly (covering shoulders and legs) is also commonly advised as it is seen as reducing unwanted attention in a socially conservative setting.
Abortion Law And OB-GYN
- Legal Status
- illegal
- Legal Status Detail
- Bahrain's abortion regime is highly restrictive in practice despite some official sources describing it as technically permitted. Under the Penal Code of 1976, self-induced abortion is a criminal offense punishable by up to six months in prison (or a fine), and performing an abortion without the woman's consent carries up to ten years' imprisonment. Wikipedia's summary describes abortion as legal upon request pending authorization by a panel of physicians, but on-the-ground reporting from Gynopedia indicates abortions are almost never granted except for defined medical reasons.
- Abortion Time Limits And Grounds
- There is no clear, publicly codified pregnancy cutoff for abortion on request. In practice, physicians reportedly only approve termination when the pregnancy endangers the life of the mother, when there is serious risk of fetal impairment, or when a pregnancy has already failed (fetal demise/missed miscarriage) — not for elective/non-medical reasons. A 2020 legislative proposal debated by Bahrain's Shura Council would have explicitly allowed abortion for fetal deformity/disability or maternal health risk, but only in pregnancies under three months (first trimester); it is unclear whether this amendment was ultimately enacted into law, so travelers should not assume it is current law without direct confirmation.
Access Routes
- Legal route: a panel of physicians must approve the procedure and only a licensed physician may perform it; approvals are reported to be rare and reserved for medical necessity (e.g. non-viable/failed pregnancy, serious maternal or fetal health risk).
- In cases of missed miscarriage/non-viable pregnancy under 12 weeks, women are commonly referred to Salmaniya Medical Complex (the main public hospital) for a scheduled D&C, sometimes after a waiting period to see if the body miscarries spontaneously.
- There is no reliably documented, regulated emergency contraceptive pill supply chain in Bahrain — dedicated morning-after pills are not consistently registered/available, though regular birth control pills or IUDs are sometimes used off-label for this purpose.
- Due to stigma around abortion and premarital pregnancy, many women reportedly travel abroad for elective terminations, or in some cases resort to unregulated, unsafe black-market 'abortion pills' — a pattern flagged as risky since these are sometimes counterfeit/unrelated medications rather than genuine abortifacients.
- The Bahrain Family Planning Association (BFPA), Villa 377, Road No. 1210, Manama, is cited as a contact point for information on reproductive health services and abortion procedures in the country.
OB-GYN Options In Manama
American Mission Hospital (AMH) – Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Type
- Private hospital department, multiple OBGYN consultants
- Notes
- Main center in Manama with satellite clinics elsewhere on the island; outpatient OBGYN clinic open 7 days a week, handling antenatal/postnatal care, contraception counselling, high-risk pregnancy management, and 24-hour emergency obstetric services.
Bahrain Gynaecology & Infertility Centre (BGF Centre)
- Type
- Private specialist OBGYN/fertility clinic
- Notes
- Located at Al Khaleej Polyclinic near Salmaniya, Manama; specializes in gynecology and infertility/IVF care, frequently recommended by patients for pregnancy and gynecological care with deliveries typically at a partner hospital.
Royal Bahrain Hospital – Obstetrics & Gynecology Department
- Type
- Private hospital department
- Notes
- Offers antenatal care, labor/delivery, well-woman screenings, Pap smears, and menopause management.
Bahrain Specialist Hospital – Obstetrics & Gynecology Department
- Type
- Private hospital department, JCI-accredited
- Notes
- 24-hour operating theatre and dedicated birth centre; handles routine and emergency obstetric/gynecological cases including ectopic pregnancy.
Ibn Al-Nafees Hospital – Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Type
- Private hospital department
- Notes
- General OBGYN department located centrally in Manama.
Al Salam Specialist Hospital – Gynecology Department
- Type
- Private hospital department
- Notes
- Offers general gynecology specialist consultations.
Contraception Access
- Overview
- Bahrain is a conservative Gulf country where sex outside marriage is legally prohibited, and this shapes how contraception is sold and to whom — access is generally easier for women who can present as married, and more inconsistent for unmarried women.
IUD
- Legal Status
- Available, but only via a doctor's consultation at a private hospital or clinic — not sold over the counter.
- Price Example
- BHD 50
2018 pricing from one private hospital (Royal Bahrain Hospital); treat as a rough historical reference, confirm current price directly with a clinic
- Access Notes
- To get an IUD you must consult with a doctor at any private hospital in the kingdom; both hormonal and non-hormonal IUDs are stocked at some private hospitals.
Implant
- Legal Status
- Uncertain / undocumented
- Access Notes
- No reliable, confirmed documentation was found on whether contraceptive implants (e.g. Nexplanon) are stocked in Bahrain; ask directly at a private hospital OB-GYN clinic in Manama.
Birth Control Pill
- Legal Status
- Available over the counter at most pharmacies without an official prescription requirement, though practice varies by pharmacist.
- Common Brands
- Common brands available include Diane, Gynera, Marvelon, Yasmin, and Yaz.
- Access Notes
- Some pharmacists in Bahrain may ask for a prescription, while others don't, and as Bahrain is a conservative country in the Middle East, sex outside of marriage is prohibited and thus unmarried women are not allowed to buy contraceptive pills at pharmacies in some cases, with some pharmacists even asking for a marriage certificate.
Price Example
- Note
- Sample private-hospital pharmacy prices from 2018; likely outdated, use as rough reference only
Options
Diane Pack
- Diane Pack
- BHD 2.15
Yaz Pack
- Yaz Pack
- BHD 4.67
Emergency Contraception
- Legal Status
- Inconsistent / not formally registered as a dedicated product, but increasingly obtainable in practice
- Price Example
- BHD 3.48
Current listing on a Bahrain e-commerce/pharmacy platform, July 2026
- Access Notes
- Older reporting states dedicated emergency contraceptive pills are not officially registered in Bahrain and pharmacists have said they don't stock them, meaning a regular birth-control pill pack or a copper/hormonal IUD placed soon after unprotected sex has historically been used as a substitute. More recent listings show single-dose emergency contraception (e.g. ellaOne, Plan B, Postinor-2) available for home delivery via Bahrain-based online retailers/pharmacies, and at least one Manama-based clinic now markets a Plan B / morning-after-pill service, suggesting access has improved compared to a few years ago — but availability at a walk-in pharmacy counter is still not guaranteed.
- Harm Reduction Note
- If dedicated EC isn't available fast enough, a regular combined birth-control pill pack can work as a substitute EC method in the first days after unprotected sex, but only specific pills/doses work this way and it is less reliable — get guidance from a pharmacist or doctor rather than guessing the dose yourself.
Assault And Abuse Support
- General Emergency Number
- 999 (police / ambulance / fire, nationwide including Manama)
Practical Notes
- In an active emergency in Manama, call 999 first; follow up with Shamsaha or hospital-based support for counseling and casework.
- Sexual assault victims can also go to any government hospital emergency department (e.g. Salmaniya Medical Complex) for forensic and medical care.
Crisis And Helpline Services
Shamsaha
- Cost
- Free and confidential
- Details
- Crisis advocacy is the first and largest of the three mandates, and it begins when a victim calls or texts the free helpline. Although there are dedicated numbers for Arabic and English, Shamsaha representatives speak a total of 20 languages.
- Contact Method
- Phone/text helpline and website (shamsaha.org) — check the site for current hotline numbers, as these can change
- Description
- Shamsaha is a non-profit organization based in Bahrain dedicated to women's empowerment and protection across the Middle East. It provides telephone-based 24/7 crisis support for victims of domestic and sexual violence.
Supreme Council for Women – Women and Child Information Centre
- Cost
- Free (government service)
- Description
- A Bahrain government body (المجلس الأعلى للمرأة) that runs a women and child information/support service; listed among Bahrain's national domestic-violence resources.
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this women's health & safety research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Manama
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.