Do adolescent patients have a right to be informed about fertility preservation options by virtue of the Conventions on the Rights of the Child?

The 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child not only states that children should be heard in matters of their concern according to their age and maturity, but also that children should have a right to have access to information. However, when it comes to medical indications, a consensus has not been reached on whether parents should disclose healthcare complications to their adolescent child. Adolescent disclosure becomes even more controversial when related to non-lifesaving procedures. In the United States, one child in 285 children is diagnosed with cancer every year, but thanks to improvements in medicine, the likelihood of survival has dramatically improved. However, cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation, are likely to affect their fertility later in their lives. Preventive medicine offers procedures to prevent this issue. Yet, if parents decline either disclosure or discussions, adolescent patients will have this possibility denied. As demonstrated by articles that have shown the impact of infertility on sexual well-being and happiness in adults, these patients may experience depression, anxiety, and lower self-esteem at a higher rate. By virtue of Article 17 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, this essay aims to investigate if adolescents have a right to obtain information, not only through mass media, but also from their parents when disclosure “aims at the promotion of his or her social, […] well-being and physical and mental health” and if being informed is within their best interest taking into consideration their age and maturity