Parental consent for underage pregnancy?
Assuming that abortion is legal, should parental consent be required for underage pregnant female to have abortions?
- 43 States in the US have parental involvement laws that make notificaiton of pregnancy and consent for abortion from one or both parents mandatory—although the laws are currently enforced in only 32 States.
- Most of the statutes apply to females under 18.
- Most provide for a court bypass procedure should a young person be unable to involve her parents.
- Most include exeptions for medical emergencies.
Note: The seed arguments presented here draw on the points prepared by Tom Hamilton for the
International Debate Education Association.