Imagine a young teenage girl under 18 years of age has just aborted her child. She has not told her parents about her decision and now she must recover, emotionally and physically, on her own. What if her abortion does not go as expected? At the very least, she is at risk for heavy bleeding, infection, an incomplete abortion and a large number of other possible physical complications. Her parents have no knowledge of what she has been through and are unable to give her the help and support she needs because they have been left in the dark. Though she did not know what her parents’ reaction would have been she refrained from telling them about her pregnancy and decision to have an abortion because she assumed they would not have given her any support.
Had the young girls’ parents been at least notified about her abortion, by her physician and or herself, they would have had the option to provide guidance or be by her side during her recovery. I am in no way saying her parents should make the decision about her body for her, but it should be necessary that they be given the opportunity to be notified of this choice. Because minor pregnant girls are still children themselves I believe that both parents of the pregnant teen be notified of her abortion at least 48 hours before it happens. In most cases, this notification will ensure the girl is getting the proper care and following the necessary steps for recovery.
According to the Guttmacher Institute, in the United States today, eleven states require that at least one parent is notified of a minor’s abortion and two states require that both parents be notified prior to a minor’s abortion (Guttmacher, 2009). Some might argue, requiring notification is an intrusion of privacy and only places more stress on the minor. The notification is not simply meant to impose; it is intended to provide the minor with an array of ideas, opinions and thoughts she may not have otherwise been aware of. While I realize that some parents may not be understanding of their daughter’s pregnancy, notifying them will open a line of communication and could possibly help disapproving parents realize their daughter is reaching out to them for help. She needs them now more than ever. Caitlin Borgman notes, “studies have shown that most pregnant teens [6 out of 10] voluntarily involve their parents in abortion decisions” (Borgman, 2009). This shows that the majority of these children are unable to make an educated choice without input from their parents. The final decision, of course, remains in the hands of the minor but requiring parental notification, the minor’s parents are able to maintain their rights as parents and offer direction and guidance just as they have done while raising their daughter.
Like I said before, the choice is ultimately in the hands of the minor, however by notifying the parents there is a large chance that the young girl will reconsider and not go through with the abortion. This is the hopeful outcome of parental notification so young pregnant girls will not have to suffer the risks and the dangers of abortion. Theodore Joyce, Robert Kaestner, and Silvie Colman examined changes in abortion rates in Texas since the parental notification law was enforced in Texas beginning in January 2000. This law “requires physicians to notify a parent of a minor child seeking an abortion at least 48 hours before the procedure” (Joyce, Kaestner, Colman, 2006). After the study it was found that “enforcement of Texas’ parental notification law was associated with a decline in abortion rates among all minors” (Joyce, Kaestner, Colman, 2006). Texas has not been the only state studied regarding this issue. Michael New examined the effects of parental notification laws in Minnesota and Mississippi. He concentrates on the effect of two-parent notification laws and one-parent notification laws. Minnesota began enforcing two-parent notification laws in 1990 and Mississippi was not far behind in 1993. New’s findings reveal that two-parent notification laws are far more effective in protecting the physical well-being of minor girls, “Overall, laws requiring the involvement of two parents result in a 31.4 percent decline in the minor abortion rate. Conversely, parental involvement laws requiring the involvement of only one parent result in a minor abortion rate decline of 13.5 percent” (New, 2008). These findings indicate the two-parent notification law is effective and clearly provides minors with options, aside from abortion, they were either unaware of or too afraid to ask about.
Again, for health and safety reasons it is in the minor’s best interest to notify her parents of her plans to have an abortion. Even those opposed to infringing on a minor’s rights, like Caitlin Borgman, argue, “Healthcare providers should always strongly encourage teens to involve their parents” (Borgman, 2009). Borgman also states, “The Supreme Court has held that teen girls, like adult women, have a constitutional right to determine” (Borgman, 2009). Read that statement again. What do you notice? I read, “teen girls” and “adult women”. There is the exact reasoning behind parental notification! These minors are girls they are not adults. They need adults to be there for them should anything go wrong during the procedure if girls choose to go through with it. Even pro-choice President Obama has “expressed interest in lowering the incidence of abortion” (New, 2008). The only way to lower the “incidence of abortion” is to require minors to notify parents about their decision to have an abortion. As stated many times before, this notification will open a line of communication and perhaps open the teen girl’s eyes to new possibilities and prevent her from taking such extreme and hazardous measures. And again, if parents are unable to prevent their teen daughter’s abortion at least notification will allow them the opportunity to care for their daughter after she has had the procedure.
*References:
Borgmann, Caitlin (2009). “Abortion Parental Notice Laws: Irrational, Unnecessary and Downright Dangerous” Jurist, 1
Colman, S., Joyce, T., R. Kaestner (2006). Changes in Abortions and Births and the Texas Parental Notification Law.
Guttmacher Institute (2009). “An Overview of Minors’ Consent Laws”.
New, Michael (2008). “A Parental Involvement Opportunity”.
New, Michael (2008). “The Effect of Parental Involvement Laws on the Incidence of Abortion Among Minors”.
*all links listed on POL 285 SPP Debate Club Page.
While Leigh Ann Mason makes some good points, she is missing a key concept: While the law would not prohibit parents from controlling their daughter’s decision, some parents would feel it is their prerogative anyway. After all, as a minor, she is still under the jurisdiction of her parents. And it is true that she could defy her parents’ wishes and go through with it anyway, but that would add even more stress to an already immensely difficult situation. Plus, she stated that parents could help give insight and discuss options the girl may not already have. If she were to go to an abortion clinic like Planned Parenthood, they provide all of this. In fact, counseling is usually mandatory, or at least strongly encouraged. Plus, I am rather sure that a girl can’t walk into the clinic and walk out an hour later sans baby. They understand the extreme circumstances and mental anguish surrounding abortion, and discuss thoroughly all other options to be sure she knows what she is doing.
The other issue with this is if parents do indeed successfully convince their daughters to change her mind, are they also volunteering to raise the child? However well a parent knows their child, no one else can say whether or not I am qualified to raise a baby. While I may not even realize it, other people certainly can’t. Plus, no one should be able to make that decision for me. Michael J. New wrote an article praising these laws; but his main argument was that it reduced abortions. Is this a good thing? Is it better for an underage girl without even a high school degree to attempt to raise a child, when legally, she is a child herself?
Although Leigh Ann made a valid point that minors 16 years old and older are still children and could use parental advice about abortions, her argument left out some important facts relating to the solution she formed.
Even though I would love to believe that teenage girls talking to their parents about abortion would create better family communication and mental support for the minor, I do not believe it would necessarily occur. Unfortunately, there is not a sufficient amount of evidence to demonstrate that mandated parental involvement in a teenager’s decision improves family relationships. It would be incredible if every family had great relationships with each other, but that is not the reality for many families, and I do not believe that forcing teenagers to receive parental consent would initiate better communication.
Another point in the debate that lacked background information on other solutions was from the example of the Texas study. The study explained by Colman, Joyce, and Kaestner’s argued that, ‘the enforcement of parental notification law was associated to the decline of abortion rates among all minors,’ but Mason failed to mention other factors that may have contributed to the abortion reduction (Colman, Joyce, Kaestner, 2006). In a nationwide survey conducted by the Guttmacher Institute, it was determined that other reasons for the lowest abortion rate since 1974 were a result of various factors, including more effective use of contraceptives, lower amounts of unplanned pregnancy, and greater difficulty acquiring abortions in certain parts of the country (“U.S. abortions, 2008).
After discovering the other contributing factors to reduce abortion rates, she should resist from proclaiming that, “[t]he only way to lower the “incidence of abortion” is to require minors to notify parents about their decision to have an abortion.”
Colman, S., Joyce, T., R. Kaestner (2006). “Changes in Abortions and Births and the Texas Parental Notification Law.”
“U.S. abortions decline to lowest level since 1974: Report cites contraceptive use, fewer unintended pregnancies for drop (2008).” Associated Press. Website: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22709609/
Leigh Ann mentioned in her argument that requiring parent notification in the case of a minor daughter having an abortion would “open a line of communication and could possibly help disapproving parents realize their daughter is reaching out to them for help.” However, Caitlin Borgmann points out that the origin of these laws stem from an opposition to abortion and a desire to “eliminate abortion as an option for all women”, not from a wish for improved inter-family communication (2009). In the words of James Bopp, Jr., and Richard E. Coleson , two anti-abortion-rights movement leaders, parent involvement laws “keep the abortion issue alive and . . . also translate into more disfavor for all abortions, which in turn reduces abortions” (Borgmann 2009).
Thus, before jumping to the conclusion that parent involvement laws will improve the relationship and communication between a pregnant daughter and her parents, we must take a closer look at the actual basis and ramification of such laws. Similarly to what Natalie mentioned in her comment, this ‘communication’ and ‘proper’ care that parent involvement laws attempt to establish do not necessarily need to be found in a girl’s parents. In many cases, the most adequate care and support can be found in other sources such as older siblings, aunts, youth group leaders, etc. We should be establishing laws that encourage a variety of support systems for a pregnant minor to choose rather than restricting and forcing her to rely on solely one source of support. If we are to protect the health of these young women, we must give them as many options for support as possible.
Borgmann, Caitlin. 2009. Abortion Parental Notice Laws: Irrational, Unnecessary and Downright Dangerous. Jurist.
Leigh Ann makes a good point in her argument. Parents can be a good source of information, comfort, protection and care. Leigh Ann said, “The notification is not simply meant to impose; it is intended to provide the minor with an array of ideas, opinions and thoughts she may not be aware of.” This is very true. The key here is communication. However, good communication is where many families fail in the first place. Healthy communication needs to be monitored to some extent. Fear is always accompanied when telling a parent, particularly if this communication puts the teen in an abusive setting. How do we know that teens aren’t being verbally threatened into keeping a child? I’m not saying that the teens shouldn’t tell their parents. I honestly think, and I assume that Leigh Ann would agree, that it is in teen’s best interest to tell their parents. I am saying that this notification needs to be handled with care in all situations. I also agree that health care providers should strongly encourage getting the parents involved, but they should not have to be the ones bearing the bad news. That is the teen’s job. This goes along with having healthy communication between the teen and the parent.
I understand that parents have the rights to their children’s bodies to some extent, but I think there is a huge part of the argument missing. Are these parents taking into consideration the risks and sacrifices of keeping the baby? Is the baby’s outcome being taken into consideration? Leigh Ann states that, “Michael New’s findings reveal that two-parent notification laws are far more effective in protecting the physical well-being of minor girls.” Don’t you mean it has been effective in protecting the physical well-being of the baby? Who is looking after what is best for the mother? What is in her best interest? I understand that legally she is still a child, but I believe that if she is having sexual relations, she is most likely aware of her consequences and what is best for her own body.
Overall, parents need to understand that taking such extreme and hazardous measures is necessary at times. How can a parent expect a minor to keep a baby that was only conceived because she was raped? Parents should be allowed to be aware if their child is having an abortion, but the final decision needs to be in the hands of the minor. It is her responsibility to make her own decisions.
I agree with Leigh Ann that a pregnant teen needs care and counseling. However, where we differ is the mandatory notification of both parents. It is obvious that a teen should tell her parents if she is pregnant and wants to get an abortion, but sometimes it is just not that easy. Her solution is that both parents be notified before the abortion. My premise is if she wanted her parents to know, she would have told them.
I could almost agree with the notification of one of parents. It is understandable that one parent should know, because, after all, the girl is underage and still a minor. But to suggest that it is necessary for both to know is far more restricting. Say, for example that a girl has an amazing relationship with her mother and she has confided that she is sexually active and now pregnant. The mother is understanding and caring. But the clinic informs the father. Now the father must cope with the fact that his baby girl is not only having sex, but pregnant and getting an abortion. And what if the sex was not wanted. Perhaps she was raped by her uncle. So now the father has to deal with the fact that his own brother did this to his daughter. Isn’t just more logical to have the caring mother know and understand, then to force the father to drastically change how he views his daughter? Forcing both parents to be notified of the abortion could open up lines of communication, but for the most part it will just cause chaos. In my opinion when people do not tell other people things there is a reason, and sometimes that reason is a good one.
As I said before, I could almost agree with the notification of one of the parents. Almost. Another solution seems better for the well- being of the girl. As Keisha said in her post, sometimes the most adequate care comes from other sources. Perhaps if it was required for the girl to have notified an adult, and the adult signs that they are aware of the situation and fully intend to care for and support the girl, it would be better. Because the girl got to pick the adult that she trusted, she would get the quality support she needed that would not have possible to receive from her parents.
In Leigh Ann’s argument for parental notification laws she express that notification “is not simply meant to impose; it is intended to provide the minor with an array of ideas, opinions and thoughts she may not have otherwise been aware of.” This point is important because a young pregnant girl looking at abortion without notification or consent laws may see it as an option to avoid an uncomfortable conversation without fully understanding the alternatives. The Planned Parenthood website agrees that “most teens find it helpful to have a parent involved in their decision about whether to have an abortion. While the initial conversation may be difficult, for most teens it’s worth it.” The key word in this sentence is MOST. For some young girls, it is not worth it and they may know better than their parents what is best for them. Should the only option for these young girls be permission from a judge? Obtaining that permission is not an easy task. Keisha nails it on the head when she states that “we should be establishing laws that encourage a variety of support systems for a pregnant minor to choose rather than restricting and forcing her to rely on solely one source of support.” The parents are not always the first choice of the pregnant minor for a variety of uncontrollable reasons. The key player in this is the pregnant minor. It is HER baby being discussed and she should have the final say in her source of support and her decision to have an abortion or not.
Within the parental notification laws the distinction between one parent notification and two parent notification is also important. It is likely that the minor has a better relationship with one parent or another which will ease the fear involved in the situation if they have that choice.
Leigh Ann makes a good point by stating that these teenage girls ar emaking a very adult decision to go through with an abortion. Teenagers in general are irrational and think they are very grown up, regardless of their naivety. I think that parental notification is a must in these cases of teenage pregnancy because parents should be aware of what is going on with their child, regardless of wheter or not they would grant permission, at least they are in the know. Parents will then be able to offer some sort of guidance once they are notified so they can help their child make the best decision. Of course they are going to be receiving some sort of advice when they go to the clinic, but parents are by far more able to relate and understand their daughter than someone working in the clinic can. As Mara stated, the teenager probably has a better relationship with one of her parents and this relationship would facilitate communication between the parent and daughter regarding her pregnancy and the consideration of abortion. If the daughter was not required to notify even one parent of her abortion, she would be left dealing with the repercussions of the abortion as well as guilt for not having told her parents about her pregnancy in the first place.
I don’t necessarily think that parents need to grant permission for their daughter to have an abortion, but they should at least be notified so they can converse with their daughter and better understand why she wants to have the abortion rather than consider her other options.