Involuntary sterilization of persons with mental retardation: An ethical analysis

Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews

Volumn 9, Issue 1, 2003, Pages 21-26

  Diekema, Douglas S ^a,b  

^a UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON SCHOOL OF MEDICINE   (United States)

^b SEATTLE CHILDREN S RESEARCH INSTITUTE   (United States)

Author keywords

Competence; Informed consent; Involuntary sterilization; Mental retardation; Sterilization

Indexed keywords

ARTICLE; COMPETENCE; CONTRACEPTION; DECISION MAKING; ETHICS; INFORMED CONSENT; MARRIAGE; MENTAL DEFICIENCY; PRIORITY JOURNAL; REPRODUCTION; UNITED STATES;

GENETICS AND REPRODUCTION;

HUMANS; INFORMED CONSENT; MENTAL COMPETENCY; MENTAL RETARDATION; STERILIZATION, INVOLUNTARY; UNITED STATES;

EID: 0037217970     PISSN: 10804013     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1002/mrdd.10053     Document Type: Article

References (51)

1. American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Bioethics. 1999. Sterilization of minors with developmental disabilities. Pediatrics 104:337-340.
2. American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Committee on Ethics. 1988. Sterilization of women who are mentally retarded. ACOG Comm Opin 63:1-3.
3. A progestin-releasing intrauterine device for long-term contraception. 2001. Med Lett Drugs Ther 43:7-8.
4. Areen JA. 1989. Limiting procreation. In: Veatch RM, editor. Medical Ethics. Boston: Jones & Bartlett. pp. 93-123.
5. Bambrick M, Roberts G. 1991. The sterilization of people with a mental handicap: the views of parents. J Ment Def Res 35:353-363.
6. Barron EJ. 1981. A parent's right to seek sterilization for an incompetent minor. Forum (Chicago) 16:1081-1101.
7. Bayles M. 1978. The legal precedents. Hastings Cent Rep 8:37-41.
8. Beauchamp TL, Childress JF. 2001. Principles of biomedical ethics. New York: Oxford University Press.
9. Bourguignon HJ. 1994. Mental retardation: the reality behind the label. Camb Q Healthc Ethics 3:179-194.
10. Branigin W. 2002. Virginia apologizes to victims of sterilization. Washington Post, May 3:B1.
11. Brock DW, Buchanon AE. 1990. Deciding for others: the ethics of surrogate decision-making. New York: Cambridge University Press.
12. Buck v. Bell, 274 U.S. 200 (1927).
13. Burgdorf RL, Burgdorf MP. 1977. The wicked witch is almost dead: Buck v. Bell and the sterilization of handicapped persons. Temple Law Q 50:995-1034.
14. Calibey KA. 1981. Nonconsensual sterilization of the mentally retarded - analysis of standards for judicial determinations. West New Engl Law Rev 3:689-714.
15. Cartwright W. 1994. The sterilisation of the mentally disabled: competence, the right to reproduce, and discrimination. In: Grubb A, editor. Decision-making and problems of incompetence. New York: John Wiley & Sons Ltd. pp 67-88.
16. Chakraborti D, MacDonald AP. 1984. Contraception and the mentally handicapped. BMJ. 289:1095-1096.
17. Cinelli GM, Nunnenkamp KJ. 1986. Sterilization technology and decisionmaking: rethinking the incompetent's rights. J Contemp Health Law Policy 2:275-304.
18. Culver CM, Gert B. 1982. Philosophy in Medicine. New York: Oxford University Press. 123-126 pp.
19. Denekens JP, Nys H, Stuer H. 1999. Sterilisation of incompetent mentally handicapped persons: a model for decision making. J Med Ethics 25:237-241.
20. Derouin J. 1982. In re Guardianship of Eberhardy: the sterilization of the mentally retarded. Wis L Rev 1982:1199-1227.
21. Dowben C, Hartwell SF. 1979. Legal implications of sterilization of the mentally retarded. Am J Dis Child 133:697-699.
22. Dugan JC. 1993. The conflict between "disabling" and "enabling" paradigms in law: sterilization, the developmentally disabled, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Cornell L Rev 78:507-542.
23. Gaylin W. 1976. Sterilizing the retarded child. Hastings Cent Rep 6:15.
24. Gillon R. 1987. On sterilising severely mentally handicapped people. J Med Ethics 13:59-61.
25. Gould SJ. 1985. Carrie Buck's Daughter. In: Gould SJ. The flamingo's smile: reflections in natural history. New York: WW Norton; 306-318.
26. Greydanus DE, Patel DR, Rimsza ME. 2001. Contraception in the adolescent: an update. Pediatrics 107:562-573.
27. Griswold v. Connecticut, 381 U.S. 479 (1965).
28. In re Grady, 426 A2d 467 (1981).
29. In re Hayes, 608 P2d 635 (1980).
30. Irvine AC. 1988. Balancing the right of the mentally retarded to obtain a therapeutic sterilization against the potential for abuse. Law Psychol Rev 12:95-122.
31. Krais WA. 1989. The incompetent developmentally disabled person's right of self-determination: right-to-die, sterilization and institutionahzation. Am J Law Med 15:333-361.
32. Larson EJ, Nelson LJ. 1992. Involuntary sexual sterilization of incompetents in Alabama: past, present, and future. Ala Law Rev 43:399-444.
33. Ortho Evra - A contraceptive patch. 2002. Med Lett Drugs Ther 44:8.
34. Park DC, Radford JP. 1998. From the case files: reconstructing a history of involuntary sterilisation. Disabil Soc 13:317-342.
35. Passer A, Rauh J, Chamberlain A, et al. 1984. Issues in fertility, control for mentally retarded female adolescents: II. Parental attitudes toward sterilization. Pediatrics 73:451-454.
36. Patterson-Keels L, Quint E, Brown D, et al. 1994. Family views on sterilization for their mentally retarded children. J Reprod Med 39: 701-706.
37. Perrin JC, Sands CR, Tinker DE, et al. 1976. A considered approach to sterilization of mentally retarded youth. Am J Dis Child 130: 288-290.
38. Petchesky RP. 1979. Reproduction, ethics, and public policy: the federal sterilization regulations. Hastings Cent Rep 9:29-41.
39. Reilly PR. 1987. Involuntary sterilization in the United States: a surgical solution. Q Rev Biol 62:153-170.
40. Rousso A. 1984. Sterilization of the mentally retarded. Med Law 3:353-362.
41. Sharp HC. 1907. Vasectomy as a means of preventing procreation of defectives. JAMA 51:1897-1902
42. Sherlock R. 1980. Sterilization & the welfare of the retarded. Hastings Cent Rep 10:4.
43. Skinner GT. 1934. Notes: A Sterilization statute for Kentucky. Ky Law J 23:168.
44. Skinner v. Oklahoma, 316 U.S. 535 (1942).
45. Smith JD, Polloway EA. 1993. Institutionalization, involuntary sterilization, and mental retardation: profiles from the history of the practice. Merit Retard 31:208-214.
46. Steinbock B. 1994. Reproductive rights and responsibilities: When is birth unfair to the child? Hastings Cent Rep 24:15-16.
47. Stump v. Sparkman, 435 U.S. 349 (1978).
48. Thompson T. 1978. The behavioral perspective. Hastings Cent Rep 8:29-32.
49. Van der Merwe JV, Roux JP. 1987. Sterilization of mentally retarded persons. Obstet Gynecol Surv 42:489-493.
50. Walters L. 1976. Sterilizing the retarded child. Hastings Cent Rep 6:13-14.
51. WoLf L, Zarfas DE. 1982. Parents' attitudes toward sterilization of their mentally retarded children. Am J Merit Def 87:122-129.