Child Physical/Sexual Abuse and Pornography

[If you get a question that needs this SL, please contact Mohini and/or If/When/How (ifwhenhow.org) for additional, state-specific resources]

Thank you for reaching out to us. I am sorry to hear that your parents may react negatively to you being pregnant– that’s so hard and scary. I sincerely wish you could have all the support you need.

While I can’t speak to your specific situation, I found some information on STATE’s laws about pregnant minors’ rights to healthcare that may be useful. I included both links and information directly in this message. I also included information about STATE’s laws on abortion and adoption. I want to be clear that I am not suggesting any specific choice for you. This is your body, your possible pregnancy, and your decision. I want to make sure you have all the information you need to make a choice that works with your life, whether that is raising a child, ending a pregnancy, or considering adoption. I hope the following information will help you figure out what is best for you.

Please note that WomensLaw is not affiliated with the non-WomensLaw organizations I mention. You may want to confirm information from these organizations with a lawyer in STATE. You can find free and paid lawyers in STATE on our website.

First, there is a chart from the Guttmacher Institute that shows what reproductive health services a minor can access under each state’s laws.

There is also an organization called [LOOK UP ORGANIZATION FOR STATE—GOOGLE “TEEN PARENTS RIGHTS [STATE]” FOR INFO] that has information for expecting and parenting youth, including information on teen parents’ rights on healthcare, education, and parenting.

There are also a couple of other resources for pregnant people and pregnant minors I wanted to mention.

The All-Options Talkline offers a supportive, nonjudgmental place to talk to someone about pregnancy and parenting. They “provide support and listening to people of all ages, gender identities, beliefs and backgrounds. There’s no wrong time or reason to call [their] All-Options Talkline: 1-888-493-0092.”

I also found a resource for teenagers on how to tell their parents when they’re pregnant that may be helpful.

It sounds like this conversation may be really difficult for you, and you don’t think your parents will be supportive. Hopefully, one or all of these resources can help, even if your parents react badly.

In case it’s useful, here is some basic information on minors, healthcare, and housing.

Generally, a minor may consent to their own pregnancy-related healthcare and any healthcare decisions for their own child, without the involvement of the minor’s parents. However, healthcare providers, like doctors and nurses, do have the choice to either share or not share medical information with other people involved in the pregnancy, including the minor’s parents or the “putative father” (the person who is likely the baby’s biological father) for medical reasons. Even if a minor asks the healthcare provider not to share the information, the provider may still do so if the provider believes there are medical reasons to share the information.

[CHECK THIS CHART TO SEE WHETHER MINORS CAN CONSENT TO ABORTION OR ADOPTION WITH OR WITHOUT PARENTAL CONSENT OR ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL: https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/overview-minors-consent-law]

[IF STATE ALLOWS MINORS TO GET ABORTIONS WITHOUT PARENTAL NOTIFICATION/CONSENT, USE THIS PARAGRAPH] Minors may generally get an abortion without parental consent and without telling their parents in STATE. You can find an abortion clinic through Planned Parenthood or the Abortion Care Network.

[IF STATE ALLOWS MINORS TO PLACE CHILDREN FOR ADOPTION WITHOUT PARENTAL NOTIFICATION/CONSENT, USE THIS PARAGRAPH] Minors may also generally place their child for adoption without parental consent or notification. You may want to contact a lawyer if you are considering adoption.

[ONLY INCLUDE IF STATE HAS PARENTAL NOTIFICATION/CONSENT LAW FOR ABORTION] Also, in this context, “health care” means “only treatment or services intended to maintain the life and improve the health of both the minor and the minor’s child or fetus.” Other kinds of health care, such as abortion services, are treated differently. Generally, a minor must have “written consent of one parent/legal guardian or a judicial waiver (court order) of parental consent from probate court.” If you are considering abortion, there are organizations that help minors who can’t get help from their parents get a “judicial waiver.” [LOOK UP “STATE JUDICIAL BYPASS PROJECT” TO FIND THEIR STATE’S ORGANIZATION AND HYPERLINK]

[ONLY INCLUDE IF STATE HAS PARENTAL NOTIFICATION/CONSENT OR LEGAL COUNSEL LAW FOR ADOPTION] Also, while a minor can consent to their own pregnancy-related healthcare and healthcare for their own child, a minor cannot consent to giving a child up for adoption without parental consent and/or notification, or the assistance of a lawyer. If you are considering adoption and you will be under 18 when giving birth, you may want to speak to a lawyer in STATE about your options. Again, you can find free and paid lawyers in STATE on our website.

Generally, however, a minor may not be able to move from their parents’ home unless they are legally “emancipated,” or declared an adult. A parent may generally still have the right to report a minor as a runaway, or take other legal steps to force a minor to return home. A minor who wants to move out of their parents’ home may have to go to court to become legally emancipated to do so. You can see information about legal emancipation from [LOOK UP “[STATE] MINOR EMANCIPATION” AND FIND LEGAL AID INFO]