Growing up, perhaps one of the most important sources of guidance and learning is your parents.
Some states recognize this, and require young women to receive the consent of their parents before the have an abortion.
In fact, thirty-six states have regulations in place that would require at least some parental involvement in a teen’s decision to have an abortion [1].
Parental consent not only makes it more likely that the girl will be provided with more options other than abortion, but it may also lead to uncovering cases of abuse or rape.
The states with these parental consent laws recognize, at least to some degree, the value of having informed decisions, with the involvement of the parents or another close relative.
Some of the other states simply require that teens notify their parents before an abortion, and others still require no form of parental involvement at all.
Oftentimes, in cases where young women might feel threatened by their parents, they may appeal to the courts to authorize their abortion. This is known as judicial bypass.
Regulations that require parental notification or consent are in place because it makes it somewhat more likely that young women will be able to make more fully informed decisions about their pregnancies.
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References
[1] Guttmacher Institute. Parental Involvement in Minor’s Abortions. (2011). http://www.guttmacher.org/statecenter/spibs/spib_PIMA.pdf
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