Judgment, 28 July 1988.
The High Regional Court at Dusseldorf, Federal Republic of Germany, held that a physician is required to provide advice to a patient about age-related risks in pregnancy, including advice on possible birth defects and tests that can help the patient decide whether to continue the pregnancy.  The physician also must not oversimplify explanations of risks or overemphasize the dangers involved in amniocentesis.  The Court ruled that a physician was negligent in giving advice when he, in fact, dissuaded a patient over the age of 40 from undergoing amniocentesis, with the result that she gave birth to a child suffering from Down's syndrome.  It ordered him to pay support for the child.
D000367:Age Factors; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D000649:Amniocentesis; D001519:Behavior; D001695:Biology; D002654:Child Care; D002668:Child Rearing; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities; D009358:Congenital, Hereditary, and Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities; D003376:Counseling; D003710:Demography; D019049:Developed Countries; D003933:Diagnosis; D004194:Disease; D005060:Europe; D005821:Genetic Techniques; D005860:Germany, West; D006285:Health Planning; D007603:Jurisprudence; D008423:Maternal Age; D009934:Organization and Administration; D010290:Parents; D011153:Population; D011154:Population Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors
Age Factors; Amniocentesis; Behavior; Biology; Child Rearing; Child Support; Clinic Activities; Congenital Abnormalities; Counseling--legal aspects; Court Decision; Demographic Factors; Developed Countries; Diseases; Europe; Examinations And Diagnoses; Genetic Technics; Germany, Federal Republic Of; Laboratory Examinations And Diagnoses; Maternal Age; Maternal Age, 35 And Over; Medical Liability; Neonatal Diseases And Abnormalities; Organization And Administration; Parental Age; Population; Population Characteristics; Program Activities; Programs; Risk Factors; Western Europe