HMH’s Dr. Al-Khan Honored by the King of Bahrain

On Feb 1, 2023

Abdulla Al-Khan, MD, vice chairman and director of the Maternal-Fetal Medicine & Surgery Division at Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center, recently received The First Degree of The National Golden Medal as an achiever by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa in the Kingdom of Bahrain, Dr. Al-Khan’s native country. The ceremony took place at Al Sakheer Guest Palace and was attended by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Bahrain, as well as other dignitaries from Bahrain and other major nations.

“Receiving such a prestigious honor from his homeland is a tremendous achievement for Dr. Al-Khan, and for Hackensack Meridian Health as well,” said Robert Garrett, CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health. “I congratulate Dr. Al-Khan and thank him for his pioneering work to enhance the lives of pregnant women and their babies — not only at Hackensack University Medical Center, but around the world through the knowledge he has shared with his colleagues.”

In November 2022, Dr. Al-Khan also presented at the Second International Congress in Obstetrics and Gynecology held in Manama, Bahrain. He spoke about the cutting-edge care provided at The Center for Abnormal Placentation (CAP) at Hackensack University Medical Center — which Dr. Al-Khan established in 2008 — where women from around the world come to seek care for high-risk pregnancies.

“I am most humbled and honored by this extraordinary recognition,” said Dr. Al-Khan. “Meeting His Majesty the King and his son the Crown Prince and Prime Minister was a humbling experience.”

Dr. Al-Khan is internationally recognized as an expert in high-risk pregnancy, caring for patients with the most complex medical and surgical conditions. He was the first physician in the world to perform a robotic transabdominal cerclage, a procedure to close the cervix that some women need to prevent loss of the pregnancy. He also received national and international recognition for delivering the oldest pregnant patient in the United States. A double board-certified physician, he holds the academic title of Professor at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine along with academic appointments at Rutgers University-New Jersey Medical School and St. George’s University School of Medicine.

As Director of CAP and the Fetal Care Center at Hackensack University Medical Center, Dr. Al-Khan leads a multidisciplinary center that was the first in the United States and the world to coordinate the care of patients who present with placenta accreta, where the placenta grows too deeply into the uterine wall. It is a major cause of obstetric hemorrhage and maternal mortality. Dr. Al-Khan is also a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, American College of Surgeons, and American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists.

Hackensack Meridian Hospitals Corporation Board Chair Rosemarie Source accompanied Dr. Al-Khan on the 7,000-mile journey to Bahrain. “It was my honor and pleasure to attend Dr. Al-Khan’s ceremonial event, and his official title is now ‘Sir,’” she said. “It was a proud moment, and we celebrate him and his role in establishing Hackensack Meridian Health as a true leader in maternal-fetal medicine.”

“Dr. Al-Khan has lectured extensively around the world on all areas of perinatal medicine and is rightfully acknowledged as a leading expert in the field,” said Mark Sparta, president, Northern Region, Hackensack Meridian Health. “We congratulate him on this award and are honored to have him leading our efforts to provide lifesaving care for women with high-risk pregnancies.”

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