Michael J. New of the Family Research Council conducted a nationwide study that determined the significance of parental notification laws in decreasing abortions among minors. New points out that as of 1999, minor abortions across the nation have reduced by nearly 50 percent since 1985. While there are various factors that may have influenced this decline, New demonstrates that the increase in the number and severity of parental notification laws has played a major role in deterring minor abortions.

The study distinguishes between various degrees of parental notification laws and determines the comparative effect they have on deterring abortions among minors. New’s findings indicate the stricter the parental notification laws, the fewer minor abortions. In particular, laws that demand actual parental consent result in significantly fewer abortions than laws that only require parental notification. Moreover, the study finds that laws that necessitate the consent of both parents further reduce the rate of abortions.

New’s study is a breakthrough in the sense that it is the first to compare the effect of parental notification laws to that of parental consent laws. His findings highlight the tremendous positive impact consent laws have on deterring minor abortions. While New gives examples of various reasons that this may be the case, one underlying reason is clear: parents typically have their child’s best interest at heart, and it is undoubtedly not in their child’s best interest to be subjected to the devastating effects of abortion. The fact that states in which parental notification laws are upheld have fewer abortions suggest that parents recognize these harmful psychological and physical effects abortions have on women and seek to safeguard their child from such atrocities.  

Read SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser’s comments on the study in our latest press release here.