Question

An unmarried pregnant client requests an abortion.  Assuming the abortion is legal, what rights, if any, does the father have in consent?  Do you agree?  What if the client is 16 years old?  Do the parents have rights with the consent?  Justify your reasoning.  What are the laws for consent in NH?  Do they vary state to state? Please cite a legal resource referring to consent.

Answer 1

ANSWERS :

1.Assuming the abortion is legal, fathers consent is not mandatory as states permit an unmarried pregnant women to make their decision on their own to be fully competent effecting their psychological and emotional well being.

Yes , I agree beacuse parental notification and consent laws increase the number of unsafe ,illegal abortions.

Many young women feel that they cannot talk to their parents about their sex lives or rape or incest that they have suffered and may or may not seek illegal abortions as a result.

2.If the client age is 16 years( minor) parents have rights with the consent.

Before reaching the age of maturity young people lack the experience and judgement to make fully informed decisions.

Minors are not sufficiently intelligent and mature enough to understand the nature and consequences of proposed treatment to consent to medical treatment without consulting their parents.

3.In NH abortions are legal unrestricted and unregulated throughout all weeks of pregnancy.Parent of minor must be notified before an abortion is provided.Public funding is available for abortion in cases of life endangerment ,rape or incest.

In columbia 2 states have laws that affirm a minors ability to obtain an abortion on her own ,by contrast 31 states have laws in effect that require involvement of atleast one parent in their daughters abortion decision.

Some states provide a confidential alternative to parental involvement ,in the form of either a judicial bypass in which minor may obtain authorisation for an abortion from a judge without informing her parents.