Should the mother of Katie Thorpe, a teenager with cerebral palsy, be able to demand a hysterectomy for her? Kate Ansell, who also has CP, says such a move should not be contemplated.

from the (UK) Independent

… Alison Thorpe might be right. Periods could be a trial for her daughter. But it’s possible that they won’t. I don’t believe she is wrong to suggest a hysterectomy, but I’m perplexed as to why it’s being considered before Katie’s periods have started, before anyone knows how they affect her, before other, less invasive methods of management have been tried.

When Katie’s periods start – an occasion which may yet become a national event if current speculation continues – her family and doctors will be able to observe the impact they have. Any decision made before that point will be nothing more than guesswork.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 16th, 2007 at 9:22 am and is filed under intellectual/developmental disabilities, law, medicine. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.  Email This Post