Ethical Implications: Forced Sterilization, Consent, and Human Rights

This essay examines the ethical issues surrounding a lawsuit filed against Canadian hospitals for the forced sterilization of indigenous women. It discusses how the event challenges human rights, particularly autonomy and informed consent. The essay presents arguments for and against sterilization, emphasizing the violation of ethical principles when informed consent is absent. Research on the event highlights the importance of informing patients about care decisions. The author's personal view has shifted, acknowledging the justification of tubal ligation for life-saving purposes or pregnancy control based on individual choice, while stressing the need for accurate information and respect for patient autonomy. Desklib provides similar essays and study tools for students.

N A M E O F T H E S T U D E N T :
N A M E O F T H E U N I V E R S I T Y:
ETHICAL ISSUES

Description about the event
Recently a law suit was
filed against Canadian
hospitals for forced
sterilization on indigenous
women
Alford (2018) reported that
60 indigenous Canadian
woman claimed they were
coerced into tubal ligation
without taking informed
consent from them.
The practice of forced
sterilization was brought to
light in 2015.

How the event challenges a person’s morale?
The event challenges a person’s morale as
the event challenges human’s right to
autonomy and the right to be informed during
clinical decision making
In the event, women were coerced into tubal
ligation by giving wrong information that their
new born will die unless they consent to the
procedure. This challenged person’s morale as
they are made to feel powerless and not
capable of taking a valid decision on their
own (Ehman & Costescu, 2018).

‘For’ and ‘against’ position for the event
For: The practice of sterilization is valid if it is
meant for saving lives of women or the baby.
Rationale: Tubal ligation is prescribed to many
women with ovarian or peritoneal cancer. Kim
et al. (2018) gives the evidence that tubal
ligation decreases risk of ovarian cancer in
women with epithelial ovarian cancer.

For and against position for the
event
Against: The event of coerced
sterilization is not right as it
violates the ethical principle of
informed consent.
Rationale: As Canadian
hospitals did not considered
taking informed consent from
women while performing tubal
ligation, it reflects that the
ethical procedure related to
informed consent was not
followed. The event can lead to
ethical issue because client’s
voluntary choice of accepting
or refusing a treatment has not
been respected.

Impact of research on personal
view
The research on the event showed that the
right of patients to be informed about care
decision is a vital ethical principle that all
health care staffs need to follow (Grady,
2015). However, after analysis of the event,
my personal views on tubal ligation has
changed. I feel that even if tubal ligation was
necessary, the staff should have taken the
approach to give correct information to
women regarding the need for such
procedure. Risk to life must be explained.

Change in opinion
I have got to know that tubal ligation is
justified if the purpose is to save life of people
from risk of life threatening disease or control
pregnancy based on individual choice of
women. However, it may not be easy decision
for women below 30 years who are planning a
family.

REFERENCES
Alford, M., (2018). Class Action Lawsuit Says Canadian Hospitals
Forced Sterilization on Indigenous Women. Retrieved from: https://
jezebel.com/class-action-lawsuit-says-canadian-hospitals-forced-ste-
1830525386
Ehman, D., & Costescu, D. (2018). Tubal sterilization in women under
30: case series and ethical implications. Journal of Obstetrics and
Gynaecology Canada, 40(1), 36-40.
Grady, C. (2015). Enduring and emerging challenges of informed
consent. New England Journal of Medicine, 372(9), 855-862.
Kim, M., Kim, Y. H., Kim, Y. B., Kim, J., Kim, J. W., Park, M. H., ... &
Hong, J. S. (2018). Bilateral salpingectomy to reduce the risk of
ovarian/fallopian/peritoneal cancer in women at average risk: a
position statement of the Korean Society of Obstetrics and
Gynecology (KSOG). Obstetrics & gynecology science, 61(5), 542-
552.