Evaluating the Effect of the Parental Notification Law on Minors Seeking Abortions in New Hampshire

Abstract

Kaiser Permanente Northern California facilities. The primary outcome was the rate of expulsion within 90 days of IUD insertion. Secondary outcomes included rates of uterine perforation, upper genital tract infection, and early removal of IUD. Statistical analysis used x 2 and t test comparisons. Logistic regression was performed for multiple variable analysis.RESULTS: Four hundred forty-seven women with same-day insertions were compared with 316 women with interval insertions. The overall rate of expulsion was low with no statistically significant differences seen between cohorts at 4.1% and 1.7%, respectively (P,.073). Secondary outcome rates were all low. In multivariate analysis, African American race was noted to be an independent risk factor for expulsion with an odds ratio of 3.95.CONCLUSION: In a diverse, American population, levonorgestrel or Cu-T IUD insertion immediately after firsttrimester abortion appears to be safe with no significant increase in rates of expulsion or other complications when compared with interval insertion.

The Adolescent’s Right to Confidential Care When Considering Abortion

“…79 In a recently published study investigating the effect of the 2012 New Hampshire parental notification law for abortion, the abortion rate among minors did not significantly decrease, despite the fact that more parents were involved. 80 Whereas 46.5% of adolescents younger than 15 years and 54.3% of adolescents 15 to 19 years of age who obtained an abortion did so by ≤8 weeks' gestation, 62.1% to 71.2% of women aged ≥20 years who obtained an abortion did so by ≤8 weeks' gestation; conversely, 19.0% of adolescents younger than 15 years and 11.8% of adolescents 15 to 19 years of age who obtained an abortion did so after 13 weeks' gestation, and 6.5% to 8.7% of women aged ≥20 years who obtained an abortion did so after 13 weeks' gestation. 81 It is likely that mandatory parental consent legislation decreases access to abortion by adolescents, although confounding variables (especially the inability to account for abortions obtained out of state) make it difficult to ascertain causal effects on abortion rates.…”

“…82 The 1 recent study of abortion rates in New Hampshire did not find evidence of New Hampshire minors seeking abortions out of state. 80 Both abortion rates and abortion ratios have decreased nationwide in states with and without parental consent statutes.…”