Sterilization and abortion counselling for retarded patients.

The family physician encounters an incredible number of psychosocial problems in his practice. One of the most sensitive and difficult is providing counselling in the areas of sterilization and therapeutic abortions. It is even more difficult when the patient is mentally retarded or when you are working with a family which has a retarded member. This article will attempt to provide some basic guidelines for the family physician who has to meet this challenge.