HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Cartoof, V G Articles by Klerman, L V Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Cartoof, V G Articles by Klerman, L V

Parental consent for abortion: impact of the Massachusetts law.

V G Cartoof and L V Klerman

This study assessed the impact of Massachusetts' parental consent law, which requires unmarried women under age 18 to obtain parental or judicial consent before having an abortion. Data were analyzed on monthly totals of abortions and births to Massachusetts minors prior to and following the April 1981 implementation of the law. Findings indicate that half as many minors obtained abortions in the state during the 20 months after the law went into effect as had done so previously. More than 1,800 minors residing in Massachusetts traveled to five surrounding states during these 20 months to avoid the statute's mandates. This group accounts for the reduction in in-state abortions. A small number of minors (50 to 100) bore children rather than aborting during 1982, perhaps because of the law. Findings suggest that this state's parental consent law had little effect on adolescent's pregnancy-resolution behavior.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Colman, T. Joyce, and R. Kaestner Misclassification Bias and the Estimated Effect of Parental Involvement Laws on Adolescents' Reproductive Outcomes Am J Public Health, October 1, 2008; 98(10): 1881 - 1885. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Joyce, R. Kaestner, and S. Colman Changes in Abortions and Births and the Texas Parental Notification Law N. Engl. J. Med., March 9, 2006; 354(10): 1031 - 1038. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Zavodny Fertility and Parental Consent for Minors to Receive Contraceptives Am J Public Health, August 1, 2004; 94(8): 1347 - 1351. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]