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Just 17% of all U.S. abortions are obtained by teenagers.[41] Teens aged 18–19 account for 11% of all abortions and 15–17-year-olds account for 6%; teens younger than age 15 account for another 0.4%. Teens aged 18–19 obtain two out of three teen abortions.

There are 19 abortions for every 1,000 women aged 15–19 in the United States.[54] The abortion rate is higher than average for black and Hispanic teens (44 and 24 per 1,000 women aged 15–19, respectively) and lower than average for non-Hispanic whites (11 per 1,000).

Teens account for 14% of all unsafe abortions that occur in the developing world.[58] The number of teens in the developing world who have legal and safe abortions is unknown.[44]

Studies of U.S. teens who have had an abortion show that this group is not at higher risk for depression or low self-esteem than teens who carry their pregnancy to term.[59]  Similarly, studies indicate a lack of negative mental health effect of abortion among adult women.

The majority of states have laws that require parents to consent to or be notified of a teen’s decision to have an abortion, but only a few require both parental notification and consent. A handful of states do not require any parental involvement. [60]

Laws requiring parental involvement in minors’ abortions appear to do little to reduce teen abortion or pregnancy rates.[61] These laws do, however, force some teens to navigate complicated judicial bypass systems to obtain waivers, or to seek abortions in a state without such requirements. These barriers delay access to the procedure, reducing safety and resulting in later, more costly abortions.