[JURIST Europe] The UK High Court [judicial website] Monday rejected a review of guidelines [UK Dept. of Health backgrounder] that do not require parental consent for minors to receive contraception or abortion advice. Sue Axon of Manchester, a mother of five, had brought a lawsuit hoping to change the law to prevent girls under 16 from getting confidential advice without parental notification. The UK Department of Health [government website] argued that confidentiality was a necessary component of the government's strategy to reduce teenage pregnancy and improve sexual health. Currently, it is considered "good practice" for doctors to persuade minors to inform their parents, but doctors must respect the young person's confidentiality. BBC News has local coverage.

Tatyana Margolin is an Associate Editor for JURIST Europe, reporting European legal news from a European perspective. She is based in the UK.