Younger women wanting sterilisation

[Miss Chicken]

Should women under 30 years of age be denied tubal ligation because of their age?

This young woman wants one, she has the support of her husband and GP, but cannot get a doctor perform the operation, she has tried to get it done both in the public and private health systems.

A QUEENSLAND woman is fighting for control of her body after being repeatedly denied a medical procedure that would stop her from having children.

Holly Maitland is only 22 but she is determined to undergo female sterilisation, or tubal ligation, after three unplanned pregnancies in as many years.

Her husband Jonathan, 30, has also volunteered to have a vasectomy and the couple claim to have the full support of their family GP.

But specialists, both private and public, have repeatedly refused them the procedures on the basis of her age.

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/pa...e/news-story/de2a277ff7a0b8ee413c09a2d4e5c139

Her husband has also been denied a vasectomy because of HER age.

I was denied a tubal ligation at the age of 22 despite having serious complications during two pregnancies and births. I almost died having my third child and finally had a tubal ligation 3 months after he was born. My doctor had actually OKed for me to have a tubal ligation if I had a C-section (which I did have) but the surgeon refused to perform the TL.

 

[Doom Shepherd]

Should women under 30 years of age be denied tubal ligation because of their age?

Absolutely not.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

This practice exists in the US, too. Supposedly, it's because doctors worry about lawsuits down the road.

Tubals and vasectomies shouldn't be denied to people who want them, unless they are proven mentally incapable of making that decision (pretty sure that doesn't apply in the case at hand).

Make people sign waivers, indemnities, whatever you want to cover your legal ass. But people have the right to control their reproductive organs.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

Should women under 30 years of age be denied tubal ligation because of their age?
Her husband has also been denied a vasectomy because of HER age.

No, of course not, nor should the husband be denied the vasectomy.

The fact that they're adults of sound mind making their own reproductive choices should be the end of it, but denying them the procedure is even more silly since if they eventually change their minds tubal ligation and vasectomy reversal have reasonably high success rates, IVF can implant a fertilized egg directly into the womb, or god forbid they could adopt one or more of the tens of thousands of children in need of a family.

 

[mos6507]

No.

https://www.theguardian.com/comment...fewer-children-save-the-planet-climate-change

 

[Miss Chicken]

I am glad people here agree with me because I am debating a guy on Facebook about this.

I am a strong supporter of the right to bodily autonomy and am appalled that so many doctors can have such a paternalistic attitude towards this issue. This woman is capable of making up her own mind and dealing with the consequences even if one of those consequences might be regret later on.

 

[Tosk]

because I am debating a guy on Facebook about this.

He's an idiot.

A friend of mine had to jump through hoops to have it done when she was in her 30s.

 

[JWPlatt]

I ... am appalled that so many doctors can have such a paternalistic attitude towards this issue.

If they are, it's likely because of religion, but even more likely to be a fear of lawyers.

 

[Mommy]

Motherhood is NOT essential to being female. Not a difficult concept to grasp.

Perhaps opponents to tubal ligation in younger women would prefer abortion instead?

 

[Scout101]

No. To the best of my knowledge, we're not trying to currently repopulate the planet after an apocalypse, so if she doesn't want to breed, that's totally her call.

That she's trying to do it because of previous unplanned/unwanted pregnancies ought to make it even easier. Sign something saying you won't sue and wasn't pressured into it, and snip away.

I don't even understand why that's debatable...

 

[Kor]

Plenty of doctors are willing to do ridiculous cosmetic surgeries, but they won't do this?

If somebody is of age and is of sound mind and is willing to sign waivers, then what's the big deal?

Kor

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

It should absolutely be allowed, though as elective surgery it may need to be paid for by the patient.

 

[Doom Shepherd]

When my wife had to have a full hysterectomy at 25, for medical reasons, people even gave her crap for that. "Oh, freeze your eggs!" "Get pregnant and have a baby before you have the surgery!" "You'll regret not being a mother!"

TRIPE. Today, at fift- er, a more mature age, she has no regrets at all.

 

[Miss Chicken]

Motherhood is NOT essential to being female. Not a difficult concept to grasp.

Perhaps opponents to tubal ligation in younger women would prefer abortion instead?

In this article a woman says

Each doctor I went to had the same story—the new ones straight out of med school or the ones who'd been around the block for 30 years. I discussed the fact that getting abortions is much more dangerous than being sterilized and the fact that every time I got pregnant I could get one, but I am unable to get sterilized. It amazed me that they were OK (well at least open) to the fact of having abortions, but not of permanent sterilization which would prevent my ever needing an abortion! … I do believe I faced quite a bit of discrimination.

Which to me is a bizarre attitude from the doctors.

The guy I am debating with on Facebook doesn't seem to be religious and we are discussing it on an atheist page. The debate started out after the question 'is feminism still needed in 1st world countries' and I said yes, because women are still being denied abortions, contraceptives and tubal ligations.

His argument is that doctors should not be made to go against their morals. My argument is that if a doctor cannot perform his job in a public hospital he should go into a different branch of medicine or work at a religious hospital. I think that refusing a legal operation to a women is similar to Kim Davis refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

 

[Mommy]

His argument is that doctors should not be made to go against their morals. My argument is that if a doctor cannot perform his job in a public hospital he should go into a different branch of medicine or work at a religious hospital. I think that refusing a legal operation to a women is similar to Kim Davis refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

For many, what is considered moral is dependent on what their current guidelines tell them. And sometimes what the guidelines tell them depend partly on what is fashionable. Apparently it is currently fashionable to think that a woman under 30 is too stupid, brash and naive to understand that tying the tubes may mean no babies in the future. Guidelines change. And when they do you'll see the same idiots do a 180 on their opinions to the same issue. Mindless robots.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

I did some looking around to see just what motivates doctors to say "no" to female sterilization.

The consensus is that they worry women will regret the decision, and there are some statistics to back it up. Overall, about 5-7% of women regret being sterilized, and it seems this number is a lot higher if you just look at women under 30, where it's more like 20-30%. Doctors are aware of this and, in a misguided attempt to be helpful to their patients, decline to perform sterilizations on young women. They think they are doing their patients a favor and saving them future regrets.

As was noted, abortions are more dangerous. IUDs are probably a better idea and I don't think there's anything wrong with doctors recommending them as an alternative to permanent sterilization. But if a patient, after being made aware of all her options, is still insistent that she wants to be sterilized, a doctor shouldn't stand in the way. It's her body, her choice.

 

[Miss Chicken]

My youngest son is the result of an IUD.

Doctors look at the figures the wrong way. 70 to 80% of women having tubal ligation before 30 have no regrets.

I wonder how many young women who are denied tubal ligations suffer severe distress when they end up pregnant?

 

[Doom Shepherd]

His argument is that doctors should not be made to go against their morals. My argument is that if a doctor cannot perform his job in a public hospital he should go into a different branch of medicine or work at a religious hospital. I think that refusing a legal operation to a women is similar to Kim Davis refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

"The Enterprise crew currently includes representatives from thirteen planets. They each have their individual beliefs and values and I respect them all. But they have all chosen to serve Starfleet. If anyone cannot perform his or her duty, because of the demands of their society, they should resign."

 

[Jedman67]

Just out of curiosity, couldn't she try non-surgical methods (like IUD, or a ring) to prevent pregnancies?
I agree that she should not be denied the procedure if that's what she desires; she is legally an adult.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

My youngest son is the result of an IUD.

Doctors look at the figures the wrong way. 70 to 80% of women having tubal ligation before 30 have no regrets.

I wonder how many young women who are denied tubal ligations suffer severe distress when they end up pregnant?

Right? Pregnancy and childbirth are pretty dangerous on their own. You'd think doctors would consider that.