To the Editor:
Did I read this correctly? Our governor says, “Illinois is once again establishing itself as a leader in ensuring access to health care services.”
The repeal of the Parental Notification Act was called essential because our minor children are being punished by parents who were notified 48 hours prior to what could be a life-altering procedure? The act had many exceptions to protect minors in those rare circumstances. Minor children are not able to be given an aspirin at school with out parental consent.
If we want to use abortion and health care in the same sentence, let’s look at a more realistic scenario. A 15-year-old girl becomes pregnant by someone she has met online. Even though they may live in a neighboring state, it is easy for him to take her across the state line to Illinois to obtain an abortion.
She will receive little information as to the procedure, complications, and baby’s development. The girl will be convinced that the procedure should be done the same day before she changes her mind.
Complications from abortions are not rare. What if these parents have to be notified after the procedure because there daughter is bleeding excessively and needs to be hospitalized? Or this same daughter later suffers from extreme depression because she now realizes that she ended the life of her child.
Following this comes self-destructive behaviors and the parents are at a loss as to how to help her.
This Parental Notification Act did not even require consent, just notification, so they could be aware of how this procedure may affect their child’s life going forward.
How can denying the parents this information be considered a positive step in health care?
How can we justify that our children be left to carry this burden, without the people who love them the most, being aware of how this decision may affect them in the future?
Penny Mallo, Grand Detour
Source: The Daily Chronicle
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