Running head: BIRTH CONTROL ACCESS WITH PARENTS CONSENT

Birth Control Access with Parents’ Consent

Name:

Course:

Intsructor’s Name:

Date:
Running head: BIRTH CONTROL ACCESS WITH PARENTS CONSENT
2

Birth control access with parents access

Introduction

Parents are used to being informed about every detail of their children's

lives. They keep baby monitors in their bedrooms and baby sitters note down a detailed account

of their days spent with children when they are not around. Occasionally it is difficult for them to

know when these children are entitled to the right to privacy and at what times they are able to

make certain choices by themselves. The question of a child's freedom to autonomy is ordinary,

but a confusing subject in health care. This is most noticeable in matters of reproductive health,

such as, when a minor wants a medical prescription for contraceptives or procure an abortion in

the absence of her parents.

The extent of approval is, in many places, an age-limit set by law. For

example, in the United States, according to Ontario law, whosoever is no less than 16 years old

has ensured medical autonomy, excluding disorders or situations that undermine their decision-

making capability. This is to mean that immediately a child is 16, they have the freedom of

taking medical decisions into their hands and their medical history is a private affair between

their doctor and the child. This includes the right to any form of contraceptive. The parent here

has no legal authority to look at her child's files nor to take legal measures against the hospital or

pharmacy for obeying her daughter's wants (Schneider and Bramstedt, 2006). Consider the case

of the child being 15 years old. Would her guardians or parents have the right to make that

decision for her? Not really. Whereas Ontario law assures autonomy when a person attains the

age of 16 years, the state is one of the many that acknowledges that the capacity to make medical
Running head: BIRTH CONTROL ACCESS WITH PARENTS CONSENT
3

judgments for thyself is not an easy issue of age. They apply a "grownup minor" policy such that

there is no legal lowest age needed for a person to approve to medical healthcare on their own.

Provided, in the doctor's opinion, the child comprehends the nature and impacts of their choices,

then they are able to make the decision personally, without involving their parents. If her parents

would want to retrieve the medical history records in regards to her autonomous choices or to

take legal measures against the hospital, they would have to oppose her capabilities as a mature

minor in the court of law. Long story short, her parents would have to prove that she did not

comprehend the nature and results of her choices and therefore she is unable to take such medical

decisions on her own.

In the ethical view, regardless of what the law states, should the mother or

the father have free control over their children's decisions to access birth control? Should a child

be given total autonomous and permitted to make such decisions without the approval of her

parents? Considering the ethical point of view, the answer to the two questions would be more

realistic, “it depends ". Clearly, there is a difference from one person to the other, and from

circumstance to circumstance. An individual may be able to make a knowing medical decision at

a tender age, where their parents do not have to influence them and the repercussions are

intensely limited. If that child is under the control of her parents and peers, she may be unable to

make the same medical decision. If the child is capable of making their own medical decisions to

use contraceptives then, from an ethical point of view, they need to be allowed to do so

regardless of their age and consent from their parents

Running head: BIRTH CONTROL ACCESS WITH PARENTS CONSENT
4

In a perfect world, children and their parents ought to make medical

choices together, and in situations where the child is rather mature, either as soon as they are 14

or until they are lawfully adults at 18, making decisions is in their hands. It may be tough for

parents to come to terms with the fact that their children are getting older and that they no longer

need them. All the same, irrespective of the age the child starts making such decisions for

themselves, the mother or father never has complete authority over their child. In regard to

healthcare matters, the parent has a duty to do what is best for the child. Even though that choice

is in disagreement with the parent's will.

Regrettably, there is no absolute rule, no obvious fact at which we can

deduce, "This child is now able to take conscious medical choices by themselves." It is a

complicated matter that is very dependent on the situation of an individual. Although at least, we

can honor that parents or guardians do not possess their kids. Parents do not have the freedom to

do with their kids as they wish, as children are not possessions. Kids have rights too. Which

involves the right to protection against pregnancy as early as one is sexually active.
Running head: BIRTH CONTROL ACCESS WITH PARENTS CONSENT
5

References

British Medical Association (2001). Consent, Rights and Choices in Health Care for Children

and Young People. London: BMJ Books .

Schneider P.L. and Bramstedt K.A. (2006). When psychiatry and bioethics disagree about

patient decision-making capacity. J Med Ethics.

Todd W. (July 20,2015) .When Can Your Child ask for Birth Control Without Your Consent+

Other Uncomfortable Isusues. Retrieved on 27th May 2019 from

https://thescientificparent.org/when-can-your-child-ask-for-birth-control-without-your-

consent-other-uncomfortable-issues/