Melbourne hospital delays inducing teen pregnant girl due to blood transfusion objection

A MELBOURNE hospital has delayed inducing a 17-year-old pregnant girl after she objected to a blood transfusion on religious grounds.

A MELBOURNE hospital has delayed inducing a 17-year-old pregnant girl after she objected to a blood transfusion on religious grounds.

The girl, who cannot be identified, was due to be induced yesterday afternoon at the hospital but refused to receive potentially life saving blood transfusions.

The hospital launched urgent legal action in the Victorian Supreme Court on Wednesday to counter the girl’s wishes.

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A lawyer for the hospital said without a transfusion the risk to the baby was “very low” and the mother was at most risk post-partum if she had some bleeding.

The lawyer said the hospital had no issue with providing blood transfusions to the baby after birth, under section 24 of the Victorian human tissue act.

The act allows children to receive medical blood transfusions without parental consent if a doctor believes it is reasonable and proper treatment without which the child would die.

Justice Cameron Macauley said his concern was whether the mother refusing a transfusion before the birth “compromises the child”.

The lawyer for the hospital said the birth could be induced Sunday afternoon.

Justice Macauley set the matter down for a further hearing and judgment on Friday.