Massachusetts' parental consent law and procedural timing among adolescents undergoing abortion

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:To describe individual-level delay in obtaining abortion associated with use of the Massachusetts judicial bypass system, which legal minors (aged 17 years or younger) use to obtain abortion without consent of a parent or legal guardian in the setting of Massachusetts' parental consent law for abortion.METHODS:We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 2,026 abortions among minors at a large, statewide network of abortion clinics between 2010 and 2016. Delay was defined as the number of calendar days between the minor's first call to the clinic to schedule an abortion, and the day the abortion was received.RESULTS:In the study population, 1,559 (77%) abortions were obtained with parental consent and 467 (23%) using judicial bypass. Abortions after judicial bypass were more common among minors identifying as Hispanic, non-Hispanic black, or other race, those of low socioeconomic status (as indicated by having Medicaid insurance) and those with a prior birth or prior abortion (all P