Navigating Complexities: Social, Ethical & Medicolegal Dilemmas of Hysterectomy in Young, Unmarried Women with Disabilities

The decision for hysterectomy in unmarried, young females, especially those with disabilities, is laden with many social, ethical and medicolegal dilemmas.

In this case series, we present our challenges in the management of three disabled & unmarried girls who made a request for hysterectomy.

Universal declaration of human rights, Constitution of India and the courts guarantee various rights to people with disabilities. However, there is a lack of comprehensive medicolegal framework to guide management in such cases especially in developing countries like India. This is an attempt to emphasise the need for specialised laws and medical board, for example ‘Board for hysterectomy in special circumstances' to help provide one-stop solutions to these women.