Tara’s Morning After Pill Case Study

Tara, a 15-year-old girl approaches a health professional and seeks assurance from the health professional that her conversation will be kept confidential.

The health professional assures her that unless there are compelling reasons ie. that the public will be at risk of harm, that the conversation would be confidential.

Tara proceeds with her request for the ‘morning after’ pill as she is concerned that after having unprotected sex with her boyfriend that she may be pregnant.

Tara is not taking regular oral contraceptives. She reveals that she has tried to discuss her sexual health with the family GP however, the GP was not supportive of her interest in being sexually active with her boyfriend.

Tara shares that her parents (who access the same health service) ‘don’t believe in premarital sex’, hence her seeking reassurance about confidentiality.

Tara further states that her parents would be ‘disgusted’ if they found out she was seeking the morning after pill and would disown her.

Tara has researched social media and online materials and has determined that there are no negative short (apart from a potential headache) or long-term health consequences for her if she takes the pill.

She tells the health professional that ‘one of her friends has had the morning after pill and she was fine’, and she wants to have it too, just in case.

QUESTION TWO (2): Understanding that it is within the health professional’s scope of practice to supply the ‘morning after’ pill, identify the legal and ethical principles raised in this case.

Discuss multiple perspectives for consideration in this case. Give reasons for your answers. Source :2016-2021