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Contraception - Management
What ethical and legal issues do I need to consider when providing contraception to girls under 16 years of age?

  • Inform young people that confidentiality is to be expected from all members of the healthcare team, but confidentiality might be broken if maltreatment, exploitation, or coercion is suspected.
  • In England and Wales, it is lawful to provide contraceptive advice and treatment to girls less than 16 years of age without parental consent, provided that the Fraser guidelines have been met. Similar criteria apply in Scotland. The Fraser criteria are:
    • The young person understands the advice given to her by the health professional.
    • The young person cannot be persuaded to inform her parents, or to allow the healthcare professional to inform them.
    • It is likely that the young person will continue to have sexual intercourse, with or without the use of contraception.
    • The young person's physical or mental health may suffer as a result of withholding contraceptive advice or treatment.
    • It is in the best interests of the young person for the clinician to provide contraceptive advice or treatment, or both, without parental consent.
  • Consider child protection issues.
  • Document assessments made of vulnerabilities.

In depth

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