Ethics & reproduction

Question 1

What are the rules around sexual activity and consent of young childre <13 in scotland ?

Answer 1

A young child under 13 cannot consent to any sexual activity. If you are told this by a patient, you must inform Social Services.

Question 2

What are the rules around sexual activity and consent of older childre 13-15 in scotland ?

Answer 2

An older child (i.e. 13-15) cannot legally have intercourse or oral sex with anyone, but consensual touching, kissing and sexual conversations between older children are generally considered to be part of growing up.

Question 3

What are the rules regarding consent and conctraception in children < 16 in scotland ?

Answer 3

• You may provide contraception (and relevant advice) for a child under 16, as long as you assess the child as being competent to make this decision, and you give enough information for the patient to give informed consent
• Also, you can provide other advice and treatment such as abortion, and sexually transmitted diseases without informing the parents

Question 4

What are the guidelines for when a young person can consent to advice/treatment for sexual matters for themselves?

Answer 4

The treating doctor must assess that they can:

1. He/she has sufficient maturity and intelligence to understand the nature and implications of the proposed treatment
2. He/she cannot be persuaded to tell her parents or to allow the doctor to tell them
3. He/she is very likely to begin or continue having sexual intercourse with or without contraceptive treatment
4. His/her physical or mental health is likely to suffer unless he/she received the advice or treatment
5. The advice or treatment is in the young person’s best interests.

Question 5

What are the guidelines on consent for people aged 16-18?

Answer 5

A person over 16 or over in Scotland is assumed to be competent to make decisions about their sexual activity for themselves in all situations unless:

• the person is under 18, or is 16 or over and has a mental disorder, and the other party is in a position of trust over the first person (e.g. teacher)

Question 6

What are the guidelines for consent in adults who do not have capacity ?

Answer 6

An adult who does not have capacity to make decisions for themselves regarding sexual activity and health will need an advocate to make decisions in their best interests

Question 7

When can a doctor conscientiously object to providing treatment ?

Answer 7

• As a students and clinician you can opt out
• This applies to assisted reproduction, prescribing contraception or taking part in terminations of pregnancy
• Treat patients fairly and with respect, and refer them to another practitioner

Question 8

What are the criteria must someone meet to recieve assisted conception ?

Answer 8

They need to have unexplained fertility for at least 2years then meet the following criteria:

• Both partners must be non-smoking for at least 3 months before treatment
• Both partners must abstain from illegal and abusive substances.
• Both partners must be Methadone free for at least one year prior to treatment.
• Neither partner should drink alcohol prior to or during the period of treatment.
• BMI of female partner must be above 18.5 and below 30.
• Neither partner to have undergone voluntary sterilisation, even if sterilisation reversal has been self-funded.
• NHS funding will not be provided to couples where either partner has already received the number of NHS funded IVF treatment cycles supported by NHS Scotland regardless of where in the UK they received treatment.
• No individual (male or female) can access more than the number of NHS funded IVF treatment cycles supported by NHS Scotland under any circumstances, even if they are in a new relationship.
• Fresh cycles of treatment must be initiated by the date of the female partner’s 40th birthday, and all subsequent frozen transfers must be complete before the woman’s 41st birthday.
• Couples must have been co-habiting in a stable relationship for a minimum of 2 years.
• NHS funding may be given to those patients who have previously paid for IVF treatment, if in the treating clinician’s view, the individual clinical circumstances warrant further treatment.
• Eligible patients may be offered up to three cycles of IVF/ICSI where there is a reasonable expectation of a live birth.

For couples where the woman is aged from 40 to 42 one full cycle will be offered if:

• They have never previously had IVF treatment
• There is no evidence of poor ovarian reserve and if, in the treating clinician’s view it is in the patients’ interest
• There has been a discussion of the additional implications of IVF and pregnancy at this age.

Question 9

In law when is embroy research allowed upto ?

Answer 9

14 days (when the primitive streak appears)

Question 10

In law when is aborption allowed upto?

Answer 10

Up to 24 weeks (later if severely handicapped or significant risk to maternal life).

Question 11

Is sex selection allowed in the UK?

Answer 11

Yes - if there are serious medical conditions linked to either the child being male or female

Question 12

Is egg donation legal in the UK?

Answer 12

Yes

Question 13

At the age of 18 a child has the right to find out their biological origins due to the human fertilisation & embryology authority discolosure of donor information act 2004 -T or F?

Answer 13

True

Question 14

Is surrogacy legal ?

Answer 14

Yes