Reproductive choices

A pitting of parental versus child choices is raised in the recent case launched by Sue Axon (mother of 5), in the stylee of a latter-day Victoria Gillick (mother of 10). In the style of Gillick, Mrs Axon raises interesting questions about social and individual choices. Sue Axon the individual had an abortion at age 16 before going on later to have five children. She regretted her 16 year-old choice, and attributes subsequent depression to her volitional act to terminate her pregnancy. Her righteous sense of justice therefore determines that the choice she opted for should be removed from all other young women in her circumstances.

Mrs Axon's High Court action also attacks prescription of contraceptives to under 16's without their parents' knowledge. Doubtless Mrs. Axon is overjoyed that her 16 yr old daughter can correct her own maternal mistakes by opting neither for contraception nor abortion, and due to deliver her first babby next March.

Mrs Axon's solicitor, Paul Contrathe, confirmed that her 16-year-old daughter is pregnant and the baby is due in March. "This goes to show that this case is more than a hypothetical interest to my client," he said. Mrs Axon, of Baguley, Manchester, had told the hearing she was prompted to make the legal challenge after a termination she had 20 years ago caused her "guilt, shame and depression for many years".

http://society.guardian.co.uk/children/story/0,1074,1639234,00.html?gusrc=rss
http://society.guardian.co.uk/health/story/0,7890,1640213,00.html