JOURNAL ARTICLE

Changes to Parental Consent Requirements for Abortion in Massachusetts and Impact on Timeliness of Care for Adolescents Aged 16 to 17 Years.

  • Published In: American Journal of Public Health, 2025, v. 115, n. 3. P. 397 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Fulcher, Isabel; Kimball, Kara; Rosen, Zarah; Fortin, Jennifer; Arunkumar, Namita; Gelfand, Danielle; Janiak, Elizabeth; Ireland, Luu 3 of 3

Abstract

This article examines the impact of the ROE Act—An Act to Remove Obstacles and Expand Abortion Access—on the timing of abortion care for adolescents aged 16 to 17 years in Massachusetts. Using data from Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts between 2017 and 2022, the study found that removing the parental consent requirement for this age group was associated with an average decrease of 5.46 days in gestational duration at abortion, suggesting earlier access to abortion care. The analysis controlled for factors including race/ethnicity, previous abortion, and the COVID-19 pandemic, and used individuals aged 18 to 19 years as a control group. While the decrease was not statistically significant at conventional levels, the findings align with prior evidence that parental involvement laws delay abortion access for minors. The study highlights potential public health benefits of reducing barriers to abortion care for adolescents and notes limitations including sample size and generalizability beyond Massachusetts.

Additional Information

  • Source:American Journal of Public Health. 2025/03, Vol. 115, Issue 3, p397
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Geography and Cartography
  • Publication Date:2025
  • ISSN:0090-0036
  • DOI:10.2105/AJPH.2024.307918
  • Accession Number:182981244
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