Abortions for Illinois Minors Now Require Parental Notification

(Aug. 13, 2009) Following the pattern of parental involvement in 34 other states, Illinois parents must now be notified before their minor daughters have abortions.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit on July 14 dissolved the federal injunction against the Illinois Parental Notice of Abortion Act. The law now states that an abortion doctor or his agent must provide at least 48 hours notice to a parent or adult family member of the pregnant minor before an abortion can take place.

The Parental Notice Act had been in legal limbo for more than ten years because of the Illinois Supreme Court's refusal to issue the rules necessary to make the law effective.

Coercive Abortions

Proponents of the law say that notification helps preserve family integrity in that minors will more likely be protected from being coerced into abortion decisions. Nearly two-thirds of abortions involve some kind of coercion, according to the Elliot Institute report, “Forced Abortion in America.” Much of this coercion comes from counselors at abortion clinics, boyfriends, or friends in social networks.

Melinda Tankard Reist, a journalist and women's rights advocate, has revealed how pre-abortion counseling today actually contributes to a lack of choice. In her recent book, Giving Sorrow Words: Women's Stories of Grief After Abortion, she quotes many women who felt poorly treated in the pre-abortion preparation. Counseling for them was non-existent, inadequate or over-directive.

Parental permission, not just notification, is required for children to have their ears pierced or to receive an aspirin at school. Therefore, many advocates of the new law believe it only makes sense for parents to be notified if their minor daughter is to undergo a procedure as serious as abortion, especially since they will be paying for any possible complications.

Women in Berwyn, Cicero, N. Riverside, Stickney, Forest Park, and other nearby Chicago-area suburbs are encouraged to find out more about the requirements of the newly-enforced law by calling WomanCare Services in Berwyn at 708-795-6000.

Abortion and Birth Control News is a project of TreeFrogClick, Inc. President, Kevin J. Banet