Archive for February, 2015

In a truly exceptional case, the Court of Protection has authorised the involuntary sterilisation of a learning disabled mother of six children on grounds that she lacks the mental capacity to make her own decisions in respect of contraception and that a further pregnancy would put her life in jeopardy. The woman had a very low IQ, probably suffered from an adjustment disorder due to sexual abuse she suffered as a child and had endured a tragic and complex obstetric history. She had neither the desire, nor the ability, to care for any of her children, whose ages ranged from six months to 12 years and all of whom had been placed with permanent substitute carers. She had a history of concealing her pregnancies and giving birth to her children at home without medical assistance. Her most recent birth had been ... Read more