Ron Paterson, Health and Disability Commissioner recently ruled that women should be allowed to view a scan of their foetus before having an abortion.

It should be noted that the step taken by Paterson came after a complaint to the commission criticizing four district health boards that were not informing women that they could see their scans.

Mr. Paterson received a complaint from the group Right to Life, after its survey of 13 DHBs that women could not give informed consent for an abortion without being told they could see their scans.

It was confirmed by the group's spokesperson; Ken Orr that the offer to women to see the scan was refused by the Waikato DHB, claiming it would infringe patients' rights.

The DHB has since reversed its decision.

Mr. Paterson feels that patients should have the right to see all the test results.

(Via TopNews New Zealand. Contributed by Ketan Mukherjee)