New Hampshire's Parental Notification Law

I'm a strong supporter of the right to abortion. I'm a strong believer that it is unfair to bring a child into this world who will not be loved; that a child ought not to grow up knowing that its presence is resented. And I'm a strong believer that it is irresponsible to bring a child into the world without feeling reasonably certain that the child can be well cared for and well provided for.

Having said that, what bothers me specifically about this law--besides the issue of whether the parents have a right to know--is this notion of a 48-hour window. Is there any requirement for adult women to have a preliminary visit to the doctor 48 hours before they actually have the procedure performed? Or is it an in-and-out matter for adult women?

It seems to me that making the trip in the first place generally comes after much soul-searching. It must be an agonizing trip to make once. To have to do it again two days later seems an undue burden to impose on a girl, who is probably already in the most stressful situation she's ever encountered.

I got really tired of the phrase "It's a low bar." Being used during the conversation. Having to drop the "bomb" to your parents about getting an abortion is NOT easy, having that "bomb" dropped without your choice is even worse. The consequence of being a minor under your parent's rule, especially when they can 1. have you committed. 2. Put you in religious guilt camp 3. emotionally scar you for life with shame, is no "low bar" in any teen's life. I'm lucky that my mom and I had and still have a great relationship, but sadly, a great number of kids have very unsafe family relationships. I would not want to ever take away a child's right to protect themselves. Leave her right to chose alone! CHOSING NOT to tell parents is a part of the right to chose. It lets the teen have control over her body and her safety. I feel this bill would open the door to a lot of chaotic misinformation to parents. You would not want a total stranger divulging such sensitive information to anyone without your input regardless of age or situation in life.

I am an attorney in Boston and represent teenage girls in the parental consent judicial bypass process(MA requires the consent of one parent if a woman is under 18). My clients have included young women from broken homes to perfect homes. Their reasons for choosing not to seek parental consent range from not wanting to disappoint their parents to fear that their parents will require them to keep a baby they do not want. The maturity of these young women is shocking. I am honored to work with them. In a world where our children are required to grow up so quickly, these young women are required to make important decisions for themselves every day. They know what is in their best interest and deserve the respect to determine if and when they are ready to be mothers. As we fight our own battles in Massachusetts, the timing is certainly right in New Hampshire to have the Parental Notification Law repealed.

I think it's really disgusting that any of you would approve of a 12 year old getting an abortion without her parents being notified.

This takes rights away from the parents and gives the state the right to do anything they want to your kid.

It is a no brainer that any responsible parent would want to know that this horrendous and dangerous procedure would be done on their child.

You all ought to be seriously ashamed of yourselves.

What a sick world we live in today!