Well, the clear answer is “no.” Under California law, minors get legal rights to health information privacy after reaching the age of 12. So, teens (ages 12–17) have the right to keep their abortion or health discussion private with the provider in the absence of parents.
Further, in California, unless you sign a written consent, no healthcare provider shares the information with your parents. But if a minor shares information about child abuse, whether physical or sexual, with the healthcare provider in an abortion clinic, then the provider should definitely be reported to the police or child abuse authorities.
If the child abuse is reported to the legal authorities, then parents or guardians may be contacted. It is up to you; there is no compulsion to share any information about your pregnancy.
Are you worried that our parents may access your medical records? Then don’t you worry? Whether your parents have a health insurance plan or not, California laws allow health insurers to take steps to keep your medical records private. It is not necessary for you to be a policyholder to get this advantage.
These include not sharing information about ‘sensitive services,’ including abortion, with your parents without your authorization. As a minor, you have the right to access an abortion confidentially. You can also get free or low-cost reproductive health care from an abortion clinic if you don’t have insurance.
To wrap up, minors do have the right to access abortion, whether secretly or with their parent’s permission. No information related to their abortion is revealed without their consent, as abortion is legal in California. Also, free or low-cost Medicare facilities are available for minors. If you have any other concerns related to this topic, feel free to reach out to us or contact your doctor.
