Mental Health, Drug Tests May Soon Be Part of Pre-Marriage Checks in Bahrain

TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

The Services Committee in Bahrain’s Council of Representatives has begun reviewing a new parliamentary proposal that seeks to expand mandatory pre-marriage medical examinations. The draft law would add mental health assessments and drug abuse tests to the current requirements.

Under the proposal, couples preparing for marriage would be required to undergo tests for genetic and infectious diseases, mental health evaluations, and screenings for the use of illegal drugs or substances. The law also grants the Minister of Health the authority to add other tests as needed. In addition, doctors would be required to provide advice and guidance to the couple, while marriage registrars must ensure the tests have been completed before approving the marriage contract.

MP Basma Mubarak, one of the main sponsors of the bill, told Al Ayam that the amendment aims to modernize Bahraini legislation and create stronger foundations for healthy families. She stressed that pre-marriage testing should go beyond detecting hereditary and infectious diseases, to also include mental and social well-being.

“The goal is not only medical prevention but also to protect family stability and the well-being of society,” Mubarak said. She noted that many divorce and family breakdown cases stem from unaddressed health or behavioral issues, and that early detection—especially of drug abuse—could determine whether a marriage is viable.

Mubarak explained that the proposal shifts the concept from “traditional medical testing” to a “comprehensive health check” for both partners. This broader approach, she added, ensures that couples begin their marriage with the best chances for a stable and healthy life.

She also pointed out that while Bahrain’s current law focuses only on hereditary and infectious diseases, regional experiences such as Saudi Arabia’s expanded pre-marriage screening program have shown positive results—reducing high-risk marriages by about 60% within six years.

“Updating the legal definition of pre-marriage testing will provide stronger medical, psychological, and social protection for Bahraini families,” Mubarak affirmed.