Compliance

How an IVF centre chooses its marketing partner: a checklist you can verify

Seven criteria an IVF centre can check before signing with any marketing partner, from legal knowledge and data handling to what the reports measure.

10 October 2026 · 4 min read

An IVF centre should choose a marketing partner who can explain the fertility law, the Ministry of Health's advertising controls and the Google and Meta fertility rules; who sends each post and ad to a named clinician at the centre for approval; who signs a data processing agreement that keeps enquiry data out of ad platforms; and who reports attended first consultations. Each of these can be checked in a meeting and in documents before signing.

Why the choice carries weight

The licence belongs to the centre, so the consequences of a marketing mistake fall on the centre.

  • The fertility units law. Article 12 requires full confidentiality of patient information. Article 32 sets penalties of up to SAR 500,000 and/or 5 years in prison and/or licence cancellation for serious violations (Ministry of Health text).
  • Data protection. Health data is sensitive under the personal data protection law, needs explicit consent, and cannot rest on legitimate interest. The law has been fully enforceable since 14 September 2024. According to a law firm review, the data authority's committees issued 48 violation decisions in the year to January 2026.
  • Platforms. Google's fertility policy restricts the promotion of fertility products and services in Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Meta's health and wellness policy requires reproductive health ads to target people aged 18 and over.
  • Influencers. Influencer ads in Saudi Arabia require a Mawthooq licence from the media regulator.
  • Personal accounts. In June 2026 the ministry acted against coordinated promotion through practitioners' personal accounts, as covered in our article on doctors' personal accounts.

Seven criteria and how to verify each

  1. Compliance knowledge. Ask them to explain Law M/76, the ministry's advertising controls and the Google and Meta fertility rules without notes. Compare their answers with the sources above.
  2. Medical review. Ask for their approval workflow. Check that a named clinician from your centre approves each post and ad before publishing, and that you can see a dated record of each approval.
  3. Data handling. Ask for a draft data processing agreement. Check where data is stored, who can see enquiries, and that it confirms in writing that fertility enquiry data stays out of ad audiences and pixels.
  4. Measurement. Ask for a sample report. Check that booked and attended first consultations and the time to first reply come first, with clicks and followers further down.
  5. Tone. Ask for sample Arabic copy for one service. Check that it is calm and private, with no promises, outcome percentages or pressure.
  6. Influencers. Ask how they work with influencers. Check that they verify a Mawthooq licence for each one, or have decided to work without influencers.
  7. Reply training. Ask for the scripts they would give your reception team. Check that details are requested only in private channels and that public replies stay general.

Warning signs in a proposal

  • A promised number of pregnancies, or success rates in sample ads.
  • A plan to upload patient lists to build ad audiences.
  • Sample ads that address the reader's condition directly.
  • Reports built only on clicks, reach and followers.
  • Compliance review left to whoever writes the ad.

In-house team, agency or both

The cost comparison depends on your size and plans. Our in-house team or agency tool lets you compare with your own numbers. Whichever you choose, ESHRE's psychosocial care guideline (2015) expects routine psychosocial care from all fertility staff, counsellors and other staff alike. Coordinators who answer enquiries are part of that care, so budget for their training.

How to check after you choose

Agree these numbers before the contract starts, and review them at 90 days and at 6 months:

  1. Attended first consultations per month, compared with the three months before.
  2. Median time to first reply, within working hours.
  3. The share of published items with a recorded clinician approval. Target: all.
  4. Data incidents and platform policy notices. Target: zero.
  5. Cost per attended first consultation, worked out as in our guide to cost per booking.

In practice

Turn the seven criteria into a written scorecard, give each candidate the same questions, and score each answer from 0 to 2. If Naqar is on your list, apply the same checklist to us.

Common questions

Does the partner need previous IVF experience?

Experience helps. The seven checks show more, because they test what the partner knows and how they will work with your team.

Who should own the ad accounts?

Our advice is that the centre owns them and gives the partner access, so the history stays with the centre.

When should we judge results?

Couples often take time to decide. Review reply time and booked consultations at 90 days, and attended consultations at 6 months.

Sources

More articles

Scroll to Top