CLINICIANSÂ unsure of the best approach in checking for pregnancy in under 16s can consult a new resource produced by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH).
Both NICE and the Health Protection Agency state clearly that pregnancy checking is required before surgical or radiological procedures but the ethical, practical and contextual considerations when enquiring about sexual activity below the age of consent can compromise compliance with good practice.
The new guidance document provides an evidence-based resource to support a consistent approach by clinicians to determining whether someone under 16 is pregnant and is accompanied by supplementary documents which set out the research evidence, statistics, risks, references and a set of templates for local production of materials and scripts.
Link
Pre-procedure pregnancy checking for under-16s - Guidance for clinicians
This page was correct at the time of publication. Any guidance is intended as general guidance for members only. If you are a member and need specific advice relating to your own circumstances, please contact one of our advisers.
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