RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Why-UD? Assessing the requirement to trial an intrauterine device as a condition for elective sterilisation in female patients
JF Journal of Medical Ethics
JO J Med Ethics
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Institute of Medical Ethics
SP 708
OP 711
DO 10.1136/jme-2023-109264
VO 50
IS 10
A1 Baron, Teresa
YR 2024
UL http://jme.bmj.com/content/50/10/708.abstract
AB Some National Health Service healthcare boards in the UK will approve a request for female sterilisation only if the patient first accepts a trial period of 1 year with an intrauterine device (IUD), a form of long-acting reversible contraception. In this article, I argue that this requirement is not justified by appeal to any of (or any combination of) promotion of informed consent, paternalistic concerns regarding patient regret in later life and health service budgetary considerations. Informed consent and patient autonomy may be promoted by a mandatory waiting period, but the concomitant imposition of an IUD trial during this period cannot be justified on these grounds. As long as elective vasectomy is offered by the healthcare system, elective female sterilisation should be accessible under reasonably similar—even if not identical—conditions.Data sharing not applicable as no data sets generated and/or analysed for this study. No data are available.