Final answer:
The 16-year-old patient's parent or guardian is authorized to grant consent.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer is D. the 16-year-old patient's parent or guardian.
According to the information provided, the patient is a 16-year-old married female. In most jurisdictions, individuals below a certain age (usually 18) are not considered legally capable of giving informed consent.
However, parental or guardian consent is often required for them to receive medical treatment. In this case, since the patient is under 18, her parent or guardian would be the authorized person to grant consent for medical decisions.