Should Public Agencies Be Required To Inform Parents (Essay Sample)

Should Public Agencies Be Required To Inform Parents If Their Minor Children Under 17 Years Seek Birth Control?
Onigbara Vincent
International Institute of Journalism
The belief that minor children (under 17 years)possess the ability and right to take safely vital decisions on issues relating to their health as well as the extent to which their parents should be involved in these decisions to have sex and use birth control contraceptives has become a subject of controversy. This position paper is of the opinion that parents need not be informed should their minors seek birth control, since otherwise could result in disastrous consequences.
The public debate on whether minors should receive contraceptive services confidentially or be required to inform their parents dates back to the 1970s when increased sexual activity and unwanted pregnancy among teens were first seen as a national threat. The minors seem to have the upper hand when the United States Supreme Court ruled and extended constitutional right to their privacy (Frost, 2001). In view of this, they can obtain contraceptives from publicly funded family planning clinics without their parent’s consent.
It is more vital that minors have access to confidential medical services than informing their parents of the state of their health. Sexually active ones may avoid seeking health care services should their parent’s consent be sought.
Minor laws which grant teenagers the privacy to contraceptive services enable them to discuss candidly with their physicians. Hence, any policy which mandate parental involvement constitutes threat to their well-being.
Research has proved that young people place high regard on confidentiality which often boosts their willingness to seek care ("Health care," 2004). It is evident that mandatory parental consent will not only discourage minors for seeking health care from family planning clinics, but will also prevent them from making themselves available for testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases ("State policies," 2006).
In addition, informing parents when minors seek birth control may place them at risk of physical violence. They may be forcefully ejected from home and such incident may endanger their parents’ health.
It is logical to conclude that with parent’s consent, minors would stop engaging in sex (Ford, 2004). However, this has been proved wrong as the case is contrary. In fact, it will reduce minors’ most effective birth control pill which requires prescription, the consequences being teenage unwanted pregnancies....