These laws generally include a provision for girls pregnant due to rape or incest to bypass parental notification or consent by a direct petitioning of the court. Parental notification laws force teenagers to have illegal abortions rather than risk telling their parents. More than 33 states have passed some kind of parental involvement law. There is no evidence that these laws drive girls to have illegal abortions. Furthermore, teenagers can die from legal abortions-just because abortion is legal doesn't guarantee it is safe.
Parental involvement is the best way to protect the life and health of teenage girls.
However, Bell did not have an abortion, according to Jesse Giles, MD, who performed the teenager's autopsy. Giles says he used the word 'abortion' on his report to represent the traditional medical use of the word, which is miscarriage. Some teenagers face physical danger from angry parents. Others are pregnant due to rape or incest and cannot tell their parents. The judicial bypass or waiver provision generally included in these laws takes these possibilities into account.