Call to review teen abortion law

Stuff co.nz 26 April 2015
Young pregnant teens don’t have the mental maturity to understand the implications of an abortion, new research suggests.

Parents should be involved in the abortion decision, rather than giving all girls, no matter what their age, the right to consent, Otago University masters law student Michael Morrison said.

The current “clumsy” legislation that allows teens to chose to have an abortion without their parent’s permission is outdated and should be repealed, he said.

“We’re relying on an ancient piece of legislation.”

Morrison’s law and ethics essay, which argues this case, has won second place in an international academic writing competition.

The paper has been published in the latest edition of the Asian Bioethics Review.

In New Zealand children aged under 16 generally need their parent’s permission to undergo medical procedures, except when it comes to abortions.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/68052527/Call-to-review-teen-abortion-law