Zora Health / Employer guide / Bahrain
Support employees through fertility treatment, and keep the talent you have invested in.
Fertility treatment rarely fits around a work calendar, and most employees go through it quietly, often while doing some of their best work. Zora Health helps you build practical fertility support, from policies and manager guidance to confidential care navigation and access to 128+ partner clinics in 16 countries, around your workforce and budget. Companies including Hilton, LinkedIn, Sanofi, HSBC, Mastercard, Carousell and Singapore Management University work with us.
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Five things Bahraini HR leaders should know
- Law No. 26 of 2017 limits assisted reproduction to married couples using their own eggs and sperm, and prohibits donation and all forms of surrogacy.
- Eggs and sperm may be stored for up to 10 years and embryos for up to 5, but NHRA rules require a marriage contract when freezing starts. We found no rule allowing elective egg freezing for unmarried women.
- Public IVF is offered at Salmaniya, BDF Hospital and King Hamad University Hospital. A January 2026 Select IVF guide, published outside Bahrain, puts a private cycle at BD 1,900 to 2,090 without citing a source.
- Private sector maternity leave is 60 days at full pay plus 15 unpaid days. Paternity leave is 1 paid day, and there is no fertility or IVF leave.
- Mandatory health insurance for expatriates took effect on 31 October 2026 under Decision No. 66 of 2026. With Aon projecting a 7.5% medical cost trend for 2026, a fixed allowance keeps a fertility budget predictable.
Why fertility is a business problem for employers
Fertility treatment does not fit around a work calendar. A clinic sets the date of a scan the day before. Egg collection happens when the body is ready, usually about 36 hours after a final trigger injection. Then comes a two-week wait, and for many couples, another cycle. Your team feels it: missed meetings, unexplained absences, a strong performer who suddenly goes quiet.
We found no Bahrain survey of employees in fertility treatment. Multi-country evidence suggests many hide it: in Carrot Fertility’s 2023 survey of 5,000 people in Canada, India, Mexico, the UK and the US, 79% said they were uneasy discussing fertility at work.
- Resignations. 39% of employees with fertility challenges left or considered leaving their job during treatment, in Ferring’s 2025 survey of more than 3,600 employees and employers in Australia, France, Japan, Poland and the UK.
- Lower performance. 55% said fertility challenges had hurt their work performance (Carrot, 2023).
- No treatment leave. The Labour Law has no fertility or IVF leave, so scans and egg collection usually come out of annual or sick leave.
- Unequal access. Bahraini citizens receive free care at government facilities; since 31 October 2026, expatriates rely on insurance packages at private providers (Daily Tribune, October 2026).
What employers gain
Keep the people you spent the most to develop
Replacing an employee costs one-half to two times their annual salary, according to Gallup. A written policy, paid time off and a funded allowance address common reasons people leave.
Stand out in a tight labour market
73% of employees facing fertility challenges said a role offering fertility support would appeal to them (Ferring, 2025), and 65% said they would change jobs for fertility benefits (Carrot, 2023).
Make fertility support financially predictable
An annual or lifetime allowance sets the employer’s maximum cost in advance. Aon projects Bahrain’s gross medical cost trend at 7.5% for 2026, with a net trend of 6.0% (Aon, 2026 Global Medical Trend Rates Report).
Zora helps employers structure benefits around local treatment costs, expatriate insurance gaps and the legal rules on who can receive treatment.
Want to see what this would look like for your Bahraini workforce?
What IVF costs, and what the state pays
Bahrain publishes no standard IVF fees and no national IVF registry or success rates. The World Health Organization estimates that about 1 in 6 people worldwide are affected by infertility; Bahrain has no national prevalence study. A study of 441 Bahraini patients at the Assisted Conception Clinic at Salmaniya Medical Complex in 2015 to 2016 found female factors in 57% of cases, male factors in 17.5% and no explained cause in about 21% (Bahrain Medical Bulletin, 2019). BDF Hospital and King Hamad University Hospital (NHRA-approved in 2021) also run public IVF centres, and King Hamad American Mission Hospital opened a private one in late 2023.
| Treatment | Setting | Reported cost or status |
|---|---|---|
| IVF, one cycle | Private clinics, 2026 estimate | BD 1,900 to 2,090, including tests, stimulation, retrieval, fertilisation and transfer |
| IVF | Government hospitals | No published fee schedule |
| Egg freezing | Any setting | No verified published price |
Sources: Select IVF, January 2026 (commercial guide, no cited source; we found no Bahraini clinic or news source publishing IVF prices); Gulf Daily News, 31 August 2021; Gulf Daily News, 30 November 2023. Ask clinics for current quotes.
| Item | Public support (or own savings) | What the employee still carries |
|---|---|---|
| Bahraini employees | Free care at government facilities. A 2023 report lists “conditional” IVF among Sehati’s compulsory services, without stating the conditions. | Waiting time, and private treatment outside the public pathway |
| Expatriate employees | Mandatory insurance under Supreme Council of Health Decision No. 66 of 2026, in force from 31 October 2026, with patient shares of 20% to 60% depending on the facility tier and an annual cap of BD 15,000; published summaries of the benefits do not mention IVF (Daily Tribune, November 2026). | IVF and IUI costs, plus time off |
| Maternity care for expatriates | Since September 2024, low-risk non-Bahraini births at term are referred to private hospitals. Since 31 October 2026, Decision No. 66 of 2026 covers pregnancy and childbirth for insured expatriate women aged 18 to 45, up to BD 500 for a natural birth and BD 800 for a caesarean (Daily Tribune, November 2026). | Costs above the BD 500 or BD 800 birth limits, and any patient share |
Sources: BEDigest, January 2023; Daily Tribune, 29 March 2025; Daily Tribune, 17 October 2026; Daily Tribune, 7 September 2024; Migrant-Rights.org, September 2024; Truescho, 2026 (secondary guide). Bahrain has no personal income tax, so there is no tax relief for treatment.
Age is one of the strongest predictors of IVF success. NHRA rules require each clinic’s patient guide to include its own success rates (NHRA Resolution No. 62 of 2019). The closest registry data comes from Australia and New Zealand: in 2024, live births per egg collection cycle (own eggs, fresh, excluding freeze-all) were 28.7% for women aged 30 to 34, 19.0% at 35 to 39 and 6.3% at 40 to 44 (ANZARD 2024).
Older patients often need more cycles, so the size of an allowance and when employees can use it matter as much as whether you offer one.
Give Employees Access to Fertility Specialists
Help employees navigate fertility care with access to doctors and clinics, treatment information, and clear guidance on IVF, egg freezing and other fertility options. Employees can explore their options privately, without needing to go through HR.
Fertility support that fits your workforce and budget
You do not need to overhaul your existing health insurance to support employees through fertility treatment. Start with awareness and manager education, add confidential one-to-one support, or introduce a funded allowance across your offices. There is no minimum company size.
Where included in the employer programme, eligible employees can use talks and care navigation without paying Zora a separate fee. Care navigation allowances are set in each proposal. Treatment and other third-party costs are paid separately, either by employees or through the fertility allowance their employer provides.
Companies starting the conversation
Essentials
Expert-led talks for employees and managers, fertility and menopause policy templates, manager guides and full access to the Zora app. Up to 2 talks a year.
Employees supported one to one
Navigation
Everything in Essentials, plus confidential one-to-one care navigation and access to our partner clinic network.
Large and multi-country teams
Complete
Everything in Navigation, plus quarterly anonymised reporting, a dedicated account manager and scheduled review meetings with HR.
Optional add-ons can be added to any programme, subject to availability: hormone and fertility diagnostics and telehealth with specialists. Pricing is tailored to your headcount, your countries and the services you choose. Most companies start with a single talk.
Request a proposal See how Zora works for employers
Comparing fertility benefit providers? Use our RFP question bank
Our RFP question bank has 40 questions, with why each one matters, what a good answer looks like and a scoring sheet for three providers. Six of the questions for Bahrain:
- Are local-plan employees covered, or only staff on international health plans?
- Do you require an infertility diagnosis before support starts?
- Which clinics do you work with in Bahrain, including government centres at Salmaniya, BDF Hospital and King Hamad University Hospital and NHRA-licensed private centres, and how do you check their published success rates?
- How do you set eligibility under Law No. 26 of 2017, which limits treatment to married couples using their own gametes, and can unmarried employees use the allowance for egg freezing abroad?
- How does the allowance work alongside the free public care Bahraini employees receive and the mandatory insurance we fund for expatriate staff?
- How do you handle employee health data under Bahrain’s Personal Data Protection Law, including explicit consent for sensitive data and any transfer outside Bahrain?
Your download link appears here as soon as you submit. Zora Health may contact you about employee benefits; see our privacy policy.
Plan your fertility benefit budget
Fertility benefit budget planner
Model the annual claims budget for a fertility allowance. Change any number.
This is a claims budget, not a Zora quotation. Zora’s programme fees, implementation and optional services are separate.
Illustration only. Utilisation is an editable assumption, not observed Zora data. The calculation assumes each user claims their full annual allowance, and excludes programme fees and setup costs. For a tailored model, request an employer proposal.
Estimate the potential workforce impact of fertility challenges
A rough planning scenario. It applies a global infertility estimate to your headcount, so it is not a prediction for your workforce, a measured loss or a forecast of savings from any programme.
Range: BHD 67,650 to BHD 191,400 a year, depending on replacement cost.
Assumptions: infertility affects about 1 in 6 adults (World Health Organization, 2023), applied to employees aged 25 to 44. Replacing an employee costs one-half to two times their annual salary (Gallup, 2019); the headline uses the low end. Absence is valued at salary divided by 250 working days. Exit rate and days lost are your own assumptions.
This is a hypothetical cost scenario, not a prediction of actual employee departures, an estimate of Zora’s financial impact or a guaranteed saving from fertility benefits.
Already have corporate health insurance? Here is where Zora fits
Your medical plan may cover some consultations and tests, but fertility treatment is often limited or excluded, so check your policy wording. Employees still need to understand their options, the public funding they qualify for and which clinic suits them.
Zora works alongside your existing insurance and benefits. We help employees get reliable information, navigate their care options and reach suitable specialists, and we give HR manager guidance, policy templates and, on the Complete programme, anonymised reporting. You strengthen fertility support without replacing your medical plan.
How Zora works
For your employees
Employees join the Zora app with a company code, or single sign-on for larger teams. They can learn about fertility and egg freezing, understand what your benefit covers, book a confidential care navigation call and find partner clinics and specialists.
For HR
- Kick-off, week 1. Agree goals, countries and which employees are eligible.
- Policy and benefit design, weeks 2 to 4. Draft or update your fertility policy using our templates.
- Launch, typically weeks 4 to 6. A launch talk for employees and managers, plus a communications pack for HR to send.
- Live support. Employees book care navigation calls and use the Zora app.
- Reporting, every 3 months, on the Complete programme. Anonymised usage, common themes and our recommendations, reviewed with your account manager.
Privacy
Employee privacy is central to our programmes. On the Complete programme, routine employer reports contain aggregated engagement and utilisation information, with safeguards to prevent identification of individual employees. On every programme, personal health information is not included in standard HR reporting, and employees can get help without telling their manager. Where eligibility checks or claims administration need individual-level data, access is limited to authorised parties for defined purposes, as agreed in writing before launch. Employee data is handled in line with Singapore’s Personal Data Protection Act and Bahrain’s Personal Data Protection Law (Law No. 30 of 2018), which treats health data as sensitive personal data.
Clinics and doctors in Bahrain
Zora’s clinic and doctor directory does not list providers in Bahrain yet. It lists 421 clinics and 1,185 doctors across 25 countries, mostly in Asia Pacific and the Middle East (browse clinics or browse doctors). Employees in Bahrain can still use Zora’s education and the Zora app. Ask us how your team in Bahrain would use Zora before you launch. See Zora’s employer guides for every country.
Rules and eligibility in Bahrain
Who can use assisted reproduction
Bahrain’s assisted reproduction law makes treatment available only to married couples, with the express consent of both spouses, using the couple’s own eggs and sperm (Article 6). It prohibits donation of sperm, eggs, embryos or a uterus, and all forms of surrogacy (Article 7). Techniques beyond ICSI, IUI and IVF need NHRA approval after consultation with the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (Al Tamimi, 2017). Under NHRA Resolution No. 62 of 2019, a valid certified marriage contract is needed before and throughout treatment.
Egg and embryo freezing
Eggs, sperm and tissue may be stored for up to 10 years and embryos for up to 5. Embryos must be destroyed on divorce or the death of a spouse (Al Tamimi, 2017). NHRA rules also require a marriage contract when freezing starts and when samples are used. In May 2026, MP Dr Maryam Al Dhaen proposed amending the law to allow fertility preservation for patients, such as people with cancer, whose treatment could affect fertility; we found no report of a vote (Daily Tribune, 16 May 2026).
Maternity, paternity and no fertility leave
Private sector employees get 60 days’ maternity leave at full pay and 15 further unpaid days; in October 2025, the government rejected a proposal to extend paid leave to 70 days (Daily Tribune, October 2025). Mothers also get 2 paid nursing hours a day until the child is 6 months old (DLA Piper, 2024). A bill to raise private sector paternity leave from 1 paid day to 3 was approved in committee in March 2025 and opposed by the Ministry of Labour and the Bahrain Chamber; as of November 2026 we found no record that it became law (Daily Tribune, March 2025).
Dismissal protection and health data
The Labour Law bars dismissing a woman because she married or took maternity leave (DLA Piper, 2024). Under the Personal Data Protection Law (Law No. 30 of 2018), health data is sensitive personal data. Outside healthcare provision, processing it generally needs the employee’s explicit written consent, and unlawful processing of sensitive data can bring up to 1 year in prison, a fine of BHD 1,000 to 20,000, or both. We found no statutory right to request flexible or remote work in the private sector.
Changes to expatriate healthcare
On 2 September 2024, a circular from the CEO of Government Hospitals directed that low-risk non-Bahraini patients at term, and not in active labour, be referred to private hospitals for delivery (Migrant-Rights.org; Daily Tribune, September 2024). Under a Cabinet decision, expatriate care moved to mandatory insurance packages at private providers from 31 October 2026 (Daily Tribune, November 2026; Daily Tribune, October 2026).
Why employers choose Zora
Companies including Hilton, LinkedIn, Sanofi, HSBC, Mastercard, Carousell and Singapore Management University work with Zora Health. We work alongside your existing insurance, helping employees use the cover they already have and find suitable specialists based on their needs.
Trying to conceive with a heavy workload took a toll on my husband and me. It helped us understand our options.
Questions HR teams ask us
Is fertility leave mandatory in Bahrain?
No. Labour Law No. 36 of 2012 has no fertility or IVF leave. Private sector employees get 60 days’ paid maternity leave and 1 paid day of paternity leave. Employees in treatment usually use annual or sick leave.
Does health insurance in Bahrain cover IVF?
Bahraini citizens can receive free treatment at government facilities, and a 2023 report listed “conditional” IVF among Sehati’s compulsory services without setting out the conditions. Expatriates moved to mandatory insurance on 31 October 2026 under Decision No. 66 of 2026. Published summaries of the benefits do not mention IVF, so check your policy wording.
Who can have IVF in Bahrain, and can employees freeze their eggs?
Law No. 26 of 2017 limits assisted reproduction to married couples using their own eggs and sperm, and bans donation and surrogacy. Eggs can be stored for up to 10 years and embryos for up to 5, but NHRA rules require a marriage contract when freezing starts. We found no rule allowing elective egg freezing for unmarried women. Agree eligibility with local legal counsel.
Does Zora replace our health insurance?
No. Zora works alongside your insurance. We help employees understand their options, find suitable specialists and use the cover they already have.
How much does a fertility benefit cost an employer?
It depends on the allowance, eligibility and expected uptake. Use the budget planner on this page for a first estimate, then ask us for a tailored proposal based on your headcount and countries.
How quickly can we launch?
Typically 4 to 6 weeks from contract to launch, depending on scope and countries. Most companies start with a single talk.
Related guides for Bahraini employers
Build a fertility benefit for your team
Whether you are introducing fertility benefits for the first time or improving an existing programme, tell us your headcount, countries and priorities. We will come back within two working days with suitable services, an indicative budget and a practical rollout plan for your Bahraini team. No obligation.
Not ready to talk yet? Explore how Zora works
Sources
- World Bank, Fertility rate, total (births per woman), Bahrain, 2024
- World Bank (ILO modelled estimate), Labour force participation rate, female, Bahrain, 2025
- Al Tamimi & Company, Enabling reproduction: IVF legislation in the Kingdom of Bahrain (Law No. 26 of 2017), November 2017
- National Health Regulatory Authority, Resolution No. 62 of 2019 regarding IVF regulations
- The Daily Tribune, MP proposes fertility preservation law, 16 May 2026
- Bahrain Medical Bulletin, Causes of infertility at Salmaniya Medical Complex, June 2019
- Gulf Daily News, New fertility clinic wins NHRA’s nod, 31 August 2021
- Gulf Daily News, KHAMH launches hi-tech IVF clinic, 30 November 2023
- American Mission Hospital, IVF services
- Select IVF, IVF cost in Bahrain, January 2026 (commercial guide)
- BEDigest, Sehati national health insurance packages, 25 January 2023
- Mercer, Bahrain’s mandatory health insurance includes expat employees, January 2019
- The Daily Tribune, Mandatory insurance for expats and visitors, 29 March 2025
- Truescho, Health insurance for expats in Bahrain, 2026 (secondary guide)
- Migrant-Rights.org, Bahrain government restricts migrant women’s access to public hospitals for childbirth, September 2024
- DLA Piper, Advancing women’s rights in Bahrain through legislative reforms, June 2024
- Cercli, Maternity leave in Bahrain, May 2026
- The Daily Tribune, government rejects 70-day maternity leave proposal, 19 October 2025
- The Daily Tribune, More dad days? Business concerns stall paternity leave plan, 8 March 2025
- The Daily Tribune, Three-day paternity leave for government workers gains committee approval, 6 November 2024
- Gulf Business, GCC leave policies, 9 September 2025
- Al Tamimi & Company, How does Bahrain’s new Personal Data Protection Law impact patient privacy?, 2019
- Aon, 2026 Global Medical Trend Rates Report
- ANZARD, Assisted reproductive technology in Australia and New Zealand 2024, UNSW, 2026
- The Daily Tribune, Birth now a private affair for expats in Bahrain, 7 September 2024
- The Daily Tribune, Expats to shift from Salmaniya to private hospitals, 17 October 2026
- The Daily Tribune, Expats face up to 60pc share of medical bills, 2 November 2026
- Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Fertility Matters at Work and This Can Happen, workplace fertility survey, November 2025
- Carrot Fertility, Global Fertility at Work report, 2023
- Gallup, This fixable problem costs US businesses $1 trillion, 2019
- World Health Organization, 1 in 6 people globally affected by infertility, April 2023
Information on this page is correct as of 5 November 2026. Laws, public funding, insurance rules and treatment costs change often, so check current rules with the relevant authority, insurer or a qualified adviser before making decisions. This page is general information, not legal, financial, tax or medical advice.