Men Have Final Word in Women's Choice of Being Fixed

Actually I attended the University of VA in Charlottesville and that is where I worked as a scrub asst. There was no law in place that demanded a husband sign a consent. This was in the 70s and early 80s. I know it has not been passed since. My guess is that the physician who consented the patient, consented the husband also and the patient, not knowing better, thought it was mandatory. Some physicians are old-fashioned (a nice way of putting it) and don’t want the husband left out of the loop. The mentality back then was not progressive for women, especially by physicians. Remember the days when if a woman was depressed the dr. just told her to go shopping? To my knowledge, in the 70s and on, there were no laws regarding mandatory consent of the husband for tubal or hysterectomy. As said, in 1973 the supreme court ruled that states could not individually deny a woman over the age of 18, an abortion, married or not. Some physicians try to cover their behinds by consenting everyone. There have been numerous lawsuits when a woman in for a routine gyn procedure ended up needing a total hysterectomy and the husband was consented while the woman was still under anesthesia and in the OR. You know dr’s, always trying to cover their behinds. lol

Utopia…hey, thxs for the feedback. I have been “out of the loop” for several years due to disability. But I truly thought I was keeping up w/ medicine as much as possible.

1. The issue of tubal ligation/non-medically necessary hysterectomy. This may be different state by state? When I was still living in Va (where I was born and raised) I had 2 friends go through similar experiences where they were married and wanted their tubes tied for birth control purposes—this was back in the mid 80’s–both had paperwork that had to signed by the husband ok’ing the procedure. One of the girls said no, so she couldn’t have it done!! Am I completely wrong on this, or do you know? This was way before I went into nursing so I didn’t know enough then to know if it was right/wrong–only knew enough to be pissed off for them. Remember also, at that time the procedure was irreversible.
2. Abortion practices/laws are not even talked about in nursing school–have to be PC about everything you know. As my specialty was rehab/long-term care obviously I didn’t spend a lot of time reading up on the subject. Lol I did state in the 1st I made that maybe the laws were state by state. And you said no laws “currently in effect” for the mutual consent for tubal lig/hyster. Maybe those laws were in effect then? As for the abortion issue, I stand corrected. I had been in several conversations with others regarding abortion and as stupid as it is to do, I fell to “believing what I heard” and not something I researched myself. Once again, this was in the past and not having the wherewithal to look it up myself. (No internet then as you and I can remember, lol, makes me feel old-dont know about u) I stand corrected on that issue and will be researching the other. Thxs for bringing this to my attention! The last thing I ever want to do is pass on erroneous info! (•:

yeah my opinion is it’s complete BULLSH*T!!! My body, I’ll do what I want with it, when I want, I don’t care what other people ant, it’s not theirs!

My point was that if a president (any president) wont even sign something as basic as giving women equal rights, I’m not entirely surprised…

Wow…that must have been the case then, because remember vividly them telling me about/showing me the paperwork just because it angered me so badly!! I guess this is where no knowledge truly hinders u! If I saw that same paperwork today–well, I guess this thread would have gone a totally diff way! Thxs for the update Utopia!! ( Da*, I hate having the wrong info and THEN* telling it to someone!!). :/ GO CAV’S!!!

I’m sure google or another search engine.

Yeah, Ichi– here you need your husbands “consent” to be fixed (btw…dogs and cats get fixed, human women (and actually dogs/cats as well in vet speak) have tubal ligations, or their tubes tied. What you were talking about regarding medical conditions or emergent medical necessity is probably a hysterectomy or the removal of the uterus. Which is totally different from a tubal ligation. The issue of the spouses “consent” may be state by state. And this law also applies to abortions as well, and I believe this is also state by state. Unless some ruling has been overturned since I last heard then this is what I was taught. :/ Kinda stinks, huh?

Ty..those laws were in effect before Bush even came into office. (Bush Jr). I don’t know when, but it was before. Lol,, Yeah, I’d have issues with a partner like that as well Ty! {•:)>

as much as a hassle as it may be, the outcome would be worth it in my view. Though it’s sad, and oone should fear having to go through that type of hassle in the first place.

twilightmom…I am a biochemist and have worked in medicine for over 30 years. My first 4 years were as a scrub assistant for an ob/gyn. There are currently no consent forms or laws in place in the U.S. that require a husband’s consent if a wife seeks a tubal ligation or needs a hysterectomy.
As for abortion, after roe v. wade,1973, the supreme ruled that a state may not require a married woman to obtain her husband’s consent before undergoing an abortion. If a woman is under the age of 18, the court ruled that one parent or guardian must be informed.

Maybe you are a nurse in another country where different rules apply, if so, accept my apology.

lol, I think most people dont want to go through the hassle… because that involves changing the law, and that could take years… but you make a valid point, it is scandalous that such a law even exists… but considering Bush refused to sign the equal pay act, I’m not all that surprised…

Ah, I grasp what you’re saying now. Perhaps. I believe just to make the issue known I’ld bring it up in court for future generations, then perhaps divorce him. The law is really ignorent.

They have to be married? Some how I dont think that’s right… (I cant find florida law on that?) but if it is the law, I’m sure if someone ever bothered suing for their rights, the laws would be overturned…

Now that is a hysterectomy, that’s what I considered fixed.

Hmmm… I’d consider that being BROKEN… not fixed…

Since when?

As far as I know, a woman chooses whether or not to have a tubal ligation, and she can have it done at whatever age (after she is done developing, naturally). I didn’t need anybody’s permission to do mine, and I was only 23 and not married.

Where are you getting your facts from?

Hmm, well I mean the thing is, unless you dont believe in divorce (and if you dont believe in divorce you probably dont believe in tying your tubes eithers, so not an issue), if he refuses to let you get your tubes tied, well there’s always the option of divorcing him… (because, seriously, if I was with someone who refused to support me in a decision that major, well, we’d have issues), so perhaps it just has never come up in court because the option of divorce is so readily available?

Yes, I mean tubes tied,cut,&/or even burned(my mother had hers burned when she had my little sister way back when) or the system taken out completley

yes, I know all that(not to sound like a snob) but I was asking your opinions on whether you believe it is right or wrong, & why you think that.

Humorous remark captain

Interesting point ty, I wonder if anyone has tried that before.

that must really of been unfortunate, did he sign the papers?

lol…I’ll stay in Canada…the real land of the free (no offense intended fellow Americans)

…and you can’t get ‘’fixed’’ if you aren’t married?

…fixed? You mean getting their tubes tied?

No, you don’t have to be married. Its just if you are married then he must consent to abort, ligation, or hysterectomy. If you aren’t married, then you don’t need to have consent (except abortion in some states if a minor)

And my opinion, hourglass? I think it stinks! If I didn’t want more than 1 or 2 children and seeing how I was the one carrying the child, barfing my brains out all the time, peeing every 5 minutes, having to tape a razor onto a ruler to be able to shave them because I CAN’T see my feet, not sleeping the last two nights because I can’t get comfortable and some lil rascal is tap dancing on my bladder all night– He**z no he shouldn’t be able to tell me he won’t consent. BS!!! Now,,,assassin.. “Hmm…I’d call that being…BROKEN…not fixed” Haha…yeah, guess so. But it truly is a joy in some aspects! (=

How would you look up which states have the law for which age you can request( In my case demand) a hysterectomy?

Ah I see what you’re saying now ty

I am from the US though it does vary from state to state as well Same with the age for driving, and almost everything else