By Francine Stein
Four of every 100 teen-agers in New York state under the age of 18 becomes pregnant each year. Of these, 44 percent become parents, 32 percent elect abortion and 4 percent have miscarriages. National surveys of hospitals and clinics performing abortion demonstrate that about half of the teens who have abortions involve at least one parent in their decision, and that the younger the teen, the more likely the parents are to know.
Teens who do not involve their parents in the decision, cannot. Mandatory
parental involvement would place them at risk of farther abuse or threaten a
fragile relationship. Some simply have no parent to consult. -This is mindless liberal gibberish. JPG
Since 1970 when New York liberalized the circumstances for which physicians could legally perform abortion, our state has wisely rejected efforts to create barriers for medical professionals who can help young people. In fact, New York law does not require parental consent or notice for minors in need of any vital health service.- One can only marvel and wonder how many minors have suffered under this New York law still on the books. JPG
However, in recent years, it has become an almost certain ritual that legislation seeking to block access to safe abortion for New York teen-agers becomes a cynical subtext to the budget debate in Albany. This year is no exception. A bill was proposed that would have required physicians to notify both parents (in person or written with return receipt required) 48 hours before a minor's unborn baby is brutally destroyed The only exception is permitted would have been to prevent the teen's death or irreversible impairment, or if a court order certifying the minor's maturity or "best interest" had been obtained (Roback A5813: Padavan S3342). The final bills have now been amended to drop the age for mandatory consent to minors under the age of 16, making a poorly constructed policy even worse.
These laws have never been proposed by medical professionals or child welfare groups for very sensible reasons - because mandatory parental involvement laws are both ineffective and dangerous.- This is incredible nonsense, the real reason is that these entities are well served by New York's liberal abortion laws, JPG
First, the most serious consequence of notice and consent requirements is their negative effect on adolescents timely access to medical care. Younger girls are the most likely to be unaware of or frightened by pregnancy, yet the later an abortion is performed or prenatal care initiated, the more dangerous. -Says Who??? JPG Twenty-three percent of adolescents under the age of 16 have second-trimester abortions compared to eight percent of women over 20, placing those teens who do not have good family relationships at the most serious risk. Risk of what???
Second, notice and consent laws do not increase parental involvement, nor do they improve family communication. Research in Minnesota which has a parental notice law) and neighboring Wisconsin (which does not) has documented that pregnant minors in each state involve their parents at the same rate.
Third, judicial bypass rules make, a mockery of the legal system and are not supported by Family Court judges who
administer them. In states with judicial bypass rules, virtually all teens have been judged "mature and able to give
competent consent.- For those few minors considered immature, the court have always determined that abortion is in
the "minor's best interest.- After all What judge is likely to find a teen-ager (especially those under 16) too immature for abortion but mature enough to become a parent. -Of course a heartless abortionists like Francine would never let the child live with adoption.-JPG
Fourth parental consent and notice laws do noting to prevent teen pregnancy. Public health evaluation of the
effect since 1981 concluded that minors continue to conceive, abort and give birth in the same proportion as before the law was implemented
So where does this leave us as adults ,or parents who want to do what is best for our children? It seems to me inescapably clear that if we want to succeed in decreasing unintended pregnancy, abortion and childbearing among adolescents (even our own), that there is simply no compelling reason to change the current policies regarding parental consent or notification in New York state. Instead, we need to concentrate our energy and resources on guaranteeing that teens have confidential access to contraceptive services and realistic sex education. Supportive family relationships are not increased by 1aw. We can only hope to nurture them if parents can provide meaningful life options for their kids.
Francine Stein is executive director of the planned parenthood killing apparatus of Westchester/ Rockland Counties in New York