%0 Journal Article
%T Some consent and confidentiality issues regarding the application of the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act to girl-children
%A D McQuoid-Mason
%J South African Journal of Bioethics and Law
%D 2010
%I 
%X The Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act (Choice Act) allows a female of any age to consent to a termination of pregnancy, but other statutes such as the previous Child Care Act and the present ChildrenĄ¯s Act provide for different ages of consent for medical and surgical procedures. As a result doctors are not always certain whether girl-children are legally capable of giving informed consent for certain associated procedures when undergoing a termination of pregnancy. In addition the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act (the Sexual Offences Act) imposes a duty to report sexual offences against children which may undermine the girl-patientĄ¯s right to confidentiality. This article attempts to clarify the legal position regarding these grey areas for practitioners faced with girl-child patients requesting terminations of pregnancy.
%U http://www.ajol.info/index.php/sajbl/article/view/69942