SSN Commentary

Teens Need Access to High-quality, Comprehensive Digital Information About Reproductive Health Options

Policy field

Connect with the author

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Originally published with Sky Fuller in PolicyLab, Childrens' Hospital of Philadelphia on July 6th, 2023.

On June 27, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) issued its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (JWHO), which overturned Roe v. Wade, and removed federal protection of abortions. Abortion access is now determined by state legislatures, and access depends on where people live. 

Minors (those under 18 years old) are likely to be disproportionately impacted by these changes due to a worsening of many already existing barriers to abortion access such as mandatory consent or parental notification requirements, judicial bypass, high out-of-pocket costs for abortion services, transportation and travel restrictions, and age-restricted telemedicine.