Woman loses fight for parents' right to know of abortion advice
BMJ 2006; 332 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.332.7535.198 (Published 26 January 2006) Cite this as: BMJ 2006;332:198
- Clare Dyer, legal correspondent
- BMJ
A mother of two teenage daughters this week lost her legal battle in the High Court in London for parents' right to know if girls under 16 are being advised on abortion.
Mr Justice Silber ruled that parents' rights under human rights legislation were over-ridden by children's right to confidentiality, if they were mature enough to understand the implications and therefore competent to take such decisions.
The ruling upholds the legality of guidance issued by the Department of Health in 2004 to try to stem the rise in teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. This states that children should be urged to talk to their parents or …
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