Gezondheidsraadadvies over anticonceptie voor mensen met een verstandelijke handicap

- Recently the Health Council of the Netherlands published a comprehensive report which incorporates juridical, ethical, medical and social aspects directing the judgement and decision-making regarding contraception in people with an intellectual disability. Although professional responsibility is in the hands of medical practitioners, medical guidelines to manage consent issues and to indicate contraception in this population are missing. There are no ethical and legal grounds for enforcing contraception and it comes down to professional accountability in trying to prevent irresponsible parenthood by a convincing dialogue. People with intellectual disabilities are intellectually, physically, socially and economically prone to be vulnerable parents, who need assistance in making deliberate choices to have children and in raising them. There is an urgent need for advanced sexual education and a comprehensive social discussion on contraception for this population. Physicians for intellectually disabled people embrace the committee's recommendations to stimulate public debate, enhance research, develop guidelines and build professional networks to call on.