Whatever your feelings on the legality of abortion may be, most people would agree that deciding to have an abortion is a serious decision with very serious consequences.
In light of this, it might surprise you to learn that there are many states in which a young minor does not need any form of parental consent to obtain an abortion.
Yet, in many of these same states, she does for many other, less dangerous activities.
For example, in Illinois a minor has to get permission to pierce their ears, but she does not have to ask her parents if it is okay that she aborts her child.
In fact, a lot of minors do not inform their parents that they have an abortion, when given the option.
Approximately 40% of minors having an abortion report that neither of their parents knew about the abortion [1].
These minors are making a big decision. For most of them it could be one of the biggest decisions in their life. Yet parental consent is only required for non-significant events such as ear piercing, an event that does not result in the death of an innocent young life.
There is a very good reason for parents to be involved in their children’s lives; parents can provide wisdom and guidance.
Unfortunately, the laws often deprive parents of this opportunity, which leads countless young women to make a mistake that they might regret for the rest of their life.
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References
[1] Henshaw, S.K. and Kost, K. (1992). Parental involvement in minors’ abortion decisions, Family Planning Perspectives, 1992, 24(5):196–207 & 213.
Other
Guttmacher Institute. (2011). “Facts on Induced Abortion Worldwide.” http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_IAW.html
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