When we were 21 my girlfriend wanted to get her tubes tied; the hospital refused to do it without my consent?

During the consult for tubal ligation or vasectomy the provider will talk with the patient about risks and benefits. He or she will also determine whether the person is a good candidate for the procedure. Typically they will ask such things as "You understand this will make you permanently unable to have children? While you're now married, have you considered that somewhere down the road you might meet someone who wants children? Your spouse and you are in agreement regarding this procedure?" A spouse's consent isn't legally required for vasectomy or tubal ligation, but the doctor may require it before he'll clear the patient for surgery.

Doctors have the ultimate right to decline doing any elective surgery if he or she feels it's not in the patient's best interest to have it. That is medically, emotionally and socially.

Medical providers certainly don't want some wife later storming the hospital threatening legal action. They don't want the patient returning in a month saying that his wife has left him because he's had a vasectomy without advising her. They don't want the patient to have the procedure at too young an age and change her mind later.

Your written "consent" would simply be a statement of understanding the procedure is permanent. The paper is not legally binding. The doctor can't even talk to you about her procedure without her consent. The form is simply a tool to ensure everyone is of understanding- not necessarily agreement. You could refuse to sign, you could veto the procedure, but what would likely happen is that the staff would make record that you were told about the risks and benefits, and that you declined to sign the form. However, if you've signed the form and come back later to make a fuss that you didn't understand the procedure, they won't entertain a word of it.

It sounds like some admins need their behinds kicked.

They violated the HIPPA laws. They can not force her to consult you under federal law.

I don't know why they had to have your permission, was it a Catholic hospital?

Respect you girlfriends wishes, she has every right to do with her body as she chooses after all it's hers to live with. If you two decide you want children in the future, the procedure may be able to reverse...But if not, there's always adoption. Good luck.

No, it wouldn't. Of course, if you had refused and she had any common sense at all, she would have solved the problem with a radical boyfriendectomy.